Page 4 - Power Ministry

Continue importing 6% of coal needs till June, govt tells gencos

Logistical challenges, higher power demand nudge govt to extend import mandate

Peak power demand estimated to rise 7% to 260 GW this summer: Report

Peak power demand in the country is estimated to rise by seven per cent year-on-year to 260 GW this summer, according to a senior official. The peak power demand during the summer of 2023 touched 243 GW against a projection of 229 GW. "We expect the peak power demand this year (in summers) at 260GW," Central Electricity Authority Chairperson Ghanshyam Prasad told reporters on the sidelines of the Fourth Edition of Lineman Diwas in the capital. The power ministry had estimated the country's electricity demand to touch 229 GW during summers in 2023, but it did not reach the projected level in April-July due to unseasonal rainfall. Peak supply, 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 2023, while it was 243.27 GW in September, 222.16 GW in October, 204.77 GW in November, 213.79 GW in December 2023, and 222.73 GW in January 2024. Power consumption was affected in March, April, May and June last year

BEE helps to reduce energy use by 3.5%, reduce carbon emissions: RK Singh

The programmes and initiatives of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency have helped the country to cut 3.5 per cent of energy consumption annually and reduce yearly carbon emissions by 306 million tonnes (MT), Union Minister RK Singh said on Friday. The minister made the remarks at the 22nd Foundation Day of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), a statement issued by the Power Ministry said. "BEE helped India to reduce its energy consumption by around 3.5 per cent, and to reduce its carbon emissions by 306 million tonnes per annum," the Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy said. Some of the BEE's programmes and initiatives are Buildings Energy Efficiency, Star Label for consumer goods, and Energy Efficiency in Small & Medium Industry etc. These initiatives aim to improve energy efficiency and reduce higher consumption of power. "Road transport accounts for 12 per cent of country-related carbon dioxide emissions and constitutes 92 per cent of all transport-related energy ...

India sees higher peak in electricity demand as power consumption surges

Government officials now expect electricity demand to surge to a high of 384 gigawatts in the 12 months through March 2032, a 5 per cent increase on an estimate issued in May,

Govt finalises funding mechanism for battery energy storage system project

Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh has finalised the mechanism for deployment of funds for various projects to develop battery energy storage systems in the country. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) will ensure round-the-clock supply of renewable energy. The minister chaired a meeting on February 22 to finalise the structure for operationalising the scheme of viability gap funding for development of BESS with the capacity of 4,000 megawatthours (MWh), an official statement said on Sunday. Officials from the power ministry and those from Central Electricity Authority, Solar Energy Corporation of India, Grid India, and NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd. (NVVN) were present in the meeting. Addressing the officials, Singh said that the government will encourage setting up of BESS capacity through a viability gap funding scheme to meet the fast-growing needs of power demand as well as energy transition. The minister said when we have extra solar energy during the

Govt tweaks rules for speedy electricity connection, rooftop installation

Now getting new electricity connections will be as fast as three days in metropolitan areas, seven days in municipal areas and 15 days in rural areas, according to the latest amendments in the existing norms. The government has approved amendments to the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, the power ministry said in a statement on Friday. The amendments also simplified the process of rooftop solar installations and empower consumers living in multistoried flats to chose connection type and ensure separate billing for common areas and back-up generators in residential societies, thus enhancing transparency, the ministry said. The revised rule provides for checking meters installed by distribution companies in case of consumer complaints to verify electricity consumption. According to the statement, the time period for obtaining a new electricity connection under the rules has been reduced from seven days to three days in metropolitan areas, from fifteen days to seven days

Govt to increase coal-fired capacity in 2024 by 14 GW: Power Ministry

The south Asian nation failed to achieve a target to add 175 GW of renewable power capacity by 2022. The planned coal-fired capacity increase in 2024 will exceed its 2023 renewables increase of 13 GW

Power consumption grows nearly 8% to 1,221.15 bn units in Apr-Dec

Power consumption in the country witnessed an on-year rise of nearly 8 per cent to 1,221.15 billion units (BU) during the April-December period of this fiscal, indicating a surge in economic activities. Power consumption in the country stood at 1,132.11 BU in April-December 2022-23. Industry experts said that around eight per cent growth in power consumption in the first nine months of this fiscal year shows a surge in economic activities. Power consumption in the entire fiscal 2022-23 was 1,504.26 BU, higher than the 1,374.02 BU witnessed in the 2021-22 financial year. The power ministry had estimated the country's electricity demand to touch 229 GW during summer in 2023. 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 2023. Peak demand touched 238.82 GW in August. In September this fiscal year, it was at a record high of 243.27 GW. The peak dem

Peak power demand in India may cross 400 Gw by 2030, says R K Singh

Peak power demand in India is likely to cross 400 GW by 2030 and more generation capacity is being set up to meet the rising demand, Union Power Minister R K Singh has said. Electricity is the most important infrastructure which is a sine qua non for development, the minister said at a summit here on Thursday. One major distinguishing feature between a developing and a developed country is that in a developed country, there is no load shedding, the minister was quoted as saying in a release by the Power Ministry. "No country can develop if it does not have sufficient power. The power shortage in India has come down from around 4.5 per cent in 2014 to less than 1 per cent today. We have ensured universal electricity access, connecting 29 million homes in 19 months, which the International Energy Agency called the largest and fastest expansion of energy access in the history of the power sector, he added. Speaking about the rising power demand, the minister informed that in 2014, th

PowerMin issues electricity rules, eases open access and transmission

The rules now allows consumers which have specified energy load and Energy Storage Systems (ESS) to establish, operate and maintain their dedicated transmission lines themselves without licence

REC to raise about Rs 3,500 crore via yen-denominated green bonds

State-owned REC Ltd on Friday announced it will raise 61.1 billion yens (about Rs 3,500 crore) through issuance of green bonds. The bonds will issued as part of REC's USD 10-billion global medium-term note programme, the company said in a regulatory filing. Giving the break-up of each note, the company said a five-year bond worth 31 billion yens will have a coupon rate of 1.67 per cent, a 27.4-billion yen paper with maturity in 5.25 years will have a coupon rate of 1.79 per cent, and another 2.7-billion yen bond having maturity period of 10 years will carry a coupon rate of 2.20 per cent. These bonds will be listed on Global Securities Market of India International Exchange (India INX) and NSE IFSC, the company said. REC said the net proceeds from these notes will be used to finance green projects in accordance with the REC's Green Finance Framework and the external commercial borrowing guidelines and directions of the Reserve Bank of lndia (RBI). REC, under the Ministry of Power,

Power sector financer REC likely to lead National Rooftop Solar scheme

Sources said REC will be made the nodal agency for the scheme to spread its reach across the country and plug the inefficiencies

Power consumption dips marginally by 2.3% to 119.07 bn units in Dec: Govt

The country's power consumption dipped 2.3 per cent to 119.07 Billion Units (BU) in December, marking its first monthly decline in eight months due to lower demand for heating equipment, especially in the north, on account of mild winter, according to government data. Earlier in April 2023, power consumption had dipped nearly 1.5 per cent to 130.08 BU compared to 132.02 BU in the year-ago period. In December 2022, power consumption stood at 121.91 BU, higher than 109.17 BU recorded in the same month a year ago, the data showed. The peak power demand met -- the highest supply in a day -- rose to 213.62 GW in December. The peak power supply stood at 205.10 GW in December 2022 and 189.24 GW in December 2021. Experts said that power consumption as well as demand remained lower due to mild winters in the first fortnight of December. However, consumption and demand rose after mercury dipped sharply in the second half of the month, especially in North India. The data showed that peak powe

Union Minister RK Singh targets 43% reduction of emissions by 2030

While highlighting the crucial discussions held during the recently concluded COP28, Singh underscored that per capita emissions in India are among the lowest globally

12 Gw thermal power by next year to meet high demand, says R K Singh

Singh said most states agreed to enhance generation capacity - both conventional (coal) and renewable

Power ministry nudges state govts, gencos to take up insolvent assets

The power ministry is looking at a quicker turnaround of these stressed power plants and enhancing power supply

Power Ministry asks utilities to import 6% of their coal until March

In a letter dated Wednesday and seen by Reuters on Saturday, the ministry asked the companies to blend the imported coal with domestic coal to maintain stocks amid higher consumption

PowerMin issues steps for States to meet rising electricity demand

The ministry has also asked states to expedite commissioning of new units of thermal, solar and wind

269 inter-state power transmission projects completed since 2014: Govt

As many as 269 inter-state power transmission projects have been completed since 2014, which includes 45 projects under tariff-based competitive bidding mode, Parliament was informed on Thursday. "269 inter-state Transmission System (ISTS) projects have been completed since 2014, out of which 45 projects are under Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) mode and 224 projects, executed by Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID), are under Regulated Tariff Mechanism (RTM) mode," Union Power Minister R K Singh said in a written reply to Lok Sabha on Thursday. Singh further informed the House that as many as 63 ISTS projects are under progress, out of which 32 projects are under TBCB mode and 31 projects being executed by POWERGRID are under RTM mode. ISTS projects are not awarded under engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) or build, operate, transfer (BOT) mode. ISTS projects are awarded either through TBCB mode to successful bidders with the lowest quoted tariff or ..

States' dues to gencos halved to Rs 61,025 cr, says Power Minister

The total outstanding dues of states to power generating companies (gencos) have reduced by almost 50 per cent to Rs 61,025 crore, Parliament was informed on Thursday. There has been significant improvement in the realisation of dues of power generating companies post implementation of Electricity (Late Payment Surcharge and Related Matters) Rules, 2022, promulgated on June 3, 2022, Union Minister for Power, New and Renewable Energy RK Singh informed the Lok Sabha. "The total outstanding dues of states towards generating companies reported on PRAAPTI Portal, which were at Rs 1,20,540 crore as on 03.06.2022, have been reduced to Rs 61,025 crore as on 24.07.2023 with the timely payment of twelve (12) equated monthly instalments (EMIs)," the minister said. Distribution companies are also paying their current dues in time to avoid regulations under the rule. However, some state gencos have sought working capital assistance from PFC and REC for procurement of coal pending the realisation