Electricity In India

Adani Power emerges top bidder for stressed KSK Mahanadi proj at Rs 27K-cr

KSK Mahanadi is currently undergoing insolvency proceedings at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Coal India, NTPC, Vedanta, JSW Energy were among the other bidders

'Zero electricity bill, surplus power': PM Modi's goals for Viksit Bharat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal for Viksit Bharat 2047 includes slashing electricity bills to zero by facilitating the adoption of rooftop solar panels in every household

Gas-based plants directed to run from May 1 to Jun 30 as power demand rises

The government has directed all gas-based power generating stations to operationalise their plants from May 1 to June 30 in view of rise in electricity demand due to a likely prolonged heat wave this summer. A significant portion of Gas-Based Generating Stations (GBSs) is currently unutilized, primarily due to commercial considerations. The ministry has projected 260 GW peak power demand this summer (April to June 2024). Peak power demand had touched an all-time high of 243 GW in September last year. The decision to operationalise GBSs is part of a series of measures taken by the Centre to ensure that electricity demand in the summer is met. According to a power ministry statement, the order shall remain valid for generation and supply of electricity from May 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024. "To ensure maximum power generation from Gas-Based Generating Stations, the government has issued directions to all Gas-Based Generating Stations under Section 11 of the Electricity Act, 2003, under

SSEL aims to make new plant operational in Jul-Sep qtr, says CMD Reddy

Transformers maker Shirdi Sai Electricals Ltd (SSEL) looks to start operations at its new Rs 300 crore unit in Andhra Pradesh by the September quarter, its CMD N Viseswar Reddy said. SSEL is setting up a facility to manufacture conductors in the YSR District of Andhra Pradesh at an investment cost of Rs 300 crore, Reddy told PTI. The plant having an annual capacity of 300 tonnes is being set up over 8 acres, he said, adding that the plan is to make the plant operational by the July-September period of 2024-25. Conductors are a key element of a transmission line project. The plant is being set up in two phases. The trial production will begin by the end of this month, while the peak capacity of phase 1 (200 tonnes) will be achieved in the first quarter of the next fiscal year. Reddy further said SSEL is also into transmission EPC projects and around 50 per cent of the conductors' production will be consumed by the company's transmission business. The remaining will be sold in the

NTPC to start commercial ops of 2nd unit of North Karanpura power project

NTPC on Monday said it will start commercial operations of second unit of its North Karanpura Super Thermal Power Project on March 20. NTPC's North Karanpura Super Thermal Power (STPP) project is a coal-based power plant located in the Chatra district of Jharkhand. "Unit 2 (660 MW) of North Karanpura Super Thermal Power Project (3x660 MW) is declared on commercial operation with effect from 00:00 hours of 20.03.2024," NTPC said in an exchange filing. With this, standalone and group commercial capacity of NTPC will become 59,298 MW and 75,418 MW, respectively. NTPC, under the Ministry of Power, is India's largest power generation company.

Power consumption rises over 8% to 127.79 billion units in February

India's power consumption grew over 8 per cent to 127.79 Billion Units (BU) in February as compared to the year-ago period, according to government data. In February 2023, power consumption stood at 118.29 BU, higher than 108.03 BU recorded in the same month a year ago, the data showed. There were 29 days in February as 2024 is a leap year. Thus the growth rate of power consumption in February is slightly higher. The peak power demand met -- the highest supply in a day -- rose to 222 GW in February 2024. The peak power supply stood at 209.76 GW in February 2023 and 193.58 GW in February 2022. Experts said power consumption as well as demand improved in February as mercury remained low during the month, especially in north India. The prolonged cold wave resulted in increased use of heating equipment like heaters, blowers, and geysers leading to rise in power demand as well as consumption. The power ministry had estimated the country's electricity demand to touch 229 GW during summ

PM Modi announces PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, to invest over 75000 cr

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana: PM Modi announces scheme to provide free 300 units of electricity every month by investing 75000 crore on this project

Tata cuts EV prices by up to Rs 1.2 L to pass on battery price reduction

Indian automaker Tata Motors' electric vehicle (EV) unit on Tuesday said it reduced prices of its cars by up to 1,20,000 rupees ($1,445.54) to pass on battery price reduction benefits to its customers

EV leasing firm Alt Mobility raises $6 million to scale up operations

Electric vehicle leasing and lifecycle management platform Alt Mobility on Thursday said it has raised USD 6 million (nearly Rs 50 crore) in a funding round co-led by Shell Ventures, Eurazeo, EV2 Ventures and Twynam. UC Inclusive, Piper Serica, Pitchright and LetsVenture also participated in the round, which is a mix of equity and venture debt, the company said in a statement. The capital will be used for hiring engineering team to scale its Electric Vehicle (EV) asset management platform FleetOS, it added. It will also be used for setting up new verticals for fleets including drive-to-own model, parametric insurance, fleet depots and battery refurbishment unit, the company said. Besides, Alt Mobility said it plans to expand its presence in over 20 cities aiming to achieve an (Assets Under Management) AUM of USD 100mn in the next two years.

Govt plans 24x7 electricity supply across the country by March 2025

This will be part of BJP's 'continuous reforms' if voted back to power

Govt rolls out mandatory quality norms for electrical accessories

The government has issued mandatory quality norms for electrical accessories such as switch-socket-outlets and cable trunking to curb the import of sub-standard goods and boost domestic manufacturing of these goods. The Electrical Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2023 was issued in this regard by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on January 1 this year. Under this order, items cannot be produced, sold, traded, imported and stocked unless they bear the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mark. The order will come into force from six months of the date of publication of the notification, DPIIT said. It added that "nothing in this order shall apply to goods or articles manufactured domestically for export". In order to safeguard the MSME sector, relaxations have been granted to comply with the order. Small industries have been given additional nine months time, while 12 extra months will be given to micro enterprises. DPIIT in consultation with BIS and

Nepal inks long-term power deal with India, to sell 10,000 MW electricity

The agreement was signed in the presence of Nepal's Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet

Peak power demand likely to touch 350,670 MW mark by 2030-31: Centre

The peak electricity demand in India is expected to touch 3,50,670 MW mark by 2030-31, and the government is taking various measures to meet the increased demand, Union Minister R K Singh has said. The peak demand has gone up from 1,35,918 MW in 2013-14 to 2,43,271 MW in September 2023. This is a rise of almost 79 per cent and the demand has been met, the minister for power said on Thursday. A series of concerted measures have led to 70 per cent increase in generation capacity from 2,48,554 MW in March 2014 to 4 25,536 MW in October 2023, he said in Lok Sabha. "As per 20th Electric Power Survey (EPS) report published in November 2022, the peak electricity demand in the country in 2030-31 is expected to be 3,50,670 MW. We have taken steps to meet the increased demand for power in the country," Singh said. The minister said 27,180 MW of thermal capacity is under construction, 12,000 MW has been bid out and 19,000 MW is under clearances. The total anticipated thermal capacity additio

India's power consumption grows nearly 9% to 1,099 bn units in April-Nov

Power consumption has increased by nearly nine per cent to 1,099.90 billion units (BU) in the country during April-November this fiscal compared to the same period a year ago, showing a surge in economic activities. The power consumption in the country was 1,010.20 BU in April-November 2022-23, higher than 916.52 BU recorded in the same period of 2021-22. Power consumption in the entire fiscal 2022-23 was 1,504.26 BU, higher than 1,374.02 BU witnessed in 2021-22 financial year. Industry experts said that around nine per cent growth in power consumption in the first eight months of this fiscal year shows buoyancy in the economy. The power ministry had estimated the country's electricity demand to touch 229 GW during summer. The demand did not reach the projected level in April-July due to unseasonal rain. The peak demand, however, touched a new high of 224.1 GW in June before dropping to 209.03 GW in July. Peak demand touched 238.82 GW in August. In September this year, it was at a

State govts falling back on thermal power as electricity demand surges

In 2014, it was coal supply. Between 2016-2018, it was Central schemes on rural and urban electrification and reforms for power distribution companies

SC sets up panel for appointment of members to Delhi power regulator DERC

The Supreme Court on Monday set up a three-member selection panel for short-listing and appointing two temporary members of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC). A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said the selection committee will comprise Justice Jayant Nath, former Delhi High Court judge and present pro tem DERC head, Justice Ramesh Ranganathan, the chairperson of APTEL (Appellate Tribunal for Electricity) and Justice Asha Menon, a former Delhi High Court judge. The bench said the selection panel shall recommend two names for each position with information regarding their ability, integrity and domain knowledge, preferably within one month. The names of short-listed candidates will be forwarded to the office of the lieutenant governor of Delhi and the chief minister for appointment, it added. The bench said the panel will be free to devise methods for selection of the members of the national capital's power regulatory

Power Mech Projects bags Rs 355 cr order from BHEL for trial operations

Power Mech Projects on Tuesday said it has bagged a Rs 355 crore order from state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). The scope of work includes erection, commissioning and trial operation including application of lining/insulation, Power Mech Projects said in a regulatory filing. It also includes handing over of boiler and its auxiliaries, power cycle piping, steam turbine generator of unit I and II at 2X660 MW NTPC, Talcher, Odisha, it said. Based in Hyderabad, Power Mech Projects is one among the leading infrastructure-construction companies with global presence.

PM inaugurates, lays foundation of projects worth 4,200 cr in Uttarakhand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated and laid the foundation of multiple development projects in Uttarakhand worth nearly Rs 4,200 crore. The projects, numbering 23 in total, will give impetus to infrastructure, education, health, electricity, drinking water, sports, tourism, disaster mitigation and horticulture sectors in the hill state. The projects whose foundation stones were laid by the prime minister at an event in Pithoragarh included 21,398 poly-houses, cultivation of high density intensive apple orchards, five works of double-laning of roads and slope treatment of national highways and the construction of 32 bridges in the state. These also included strengthening of disaster management mechanism, expansion of education, health and sports facilities and development of temples in the Manaskhand area on the lines of Chardham. The projects inaugurated by Modi included various infrastructure development projects and those aimed at increasing availability of ...

Govt approves Rs 3,760 cr viability gap funding to boost energy storage

This move would help get Rs 9,500 crore or more of investments into battery storage system

New electricity tariff rules to make bills cheaper during solar hours

Tariffs during solar hours of the day will be 10-20% lower than the normal tariff, said the Ministry of Power