Page 3 - Power Sector

Power generation capacity addition crosses 50 GW during Apr-Jan period

India's power generation capacity addition from all energy sources has crossed record the 50 GW-mark during April-January period in the ongoing fiscal year, according to an official statement. This marks the highest-ever capacity addition in a single year, surpassing the previous record of 34,054 MW achieved during 202425, the power ministry said in a statement. During the current financial year 202526 (up to January 31), a record 52,537 MW of generation capacity (from all sources) was added, it said. Of this, 39,657 MW has been added from renewable energy sources, which includes 34,955 MW of solar power, 4,613 MW of wind power. Further, this also implies that during 2025-26 (upto 31.1.2026), there was an addition of more than 11% to the total installed capacity of the country. As on January 31, 2026, India's total installed power generation capacity stands at 520,510.95 MW, comprising fossil fuel-based capacity of 248,541.62 MW; non-fossil fuel capacity of 271,969.33 MW; nuclear

PFC, REC say merger transition smooth; merged firm to have 20% exposure cap

Power financiers say post-merger single-entity exposure limit will be 20%, expect adequate headroom for borrowings and smooth transition

Power sector reforms central to tackling India's climate finance problem

According to the NITI AAYOG study, the first step towards climate financing is strengthening power discoms'finances and reducing the risk of default

Torrent Power stock falls 6% after Q3 results; announces dividend, NCD plan

Torrent Power reported a consolidated net profit of ₹655 crore, up 34 per cent year-on-year from ₹490 crore in the year-ago period

India's January power demand hits 16-year high at 143 billion units

Peak power demand in January touched 245 gigawatt (Gw), surpassing the previous summer peak of 243 Gw recorded in June last year

PFC board clears merger with REC to boost scale, efficiency of NBFCs

Power Finance Corporation's board has approved an in-principle merger with subsidiary REC Ltd, following the government's Budget push to restructure public sector NBFCs

How Bihar is attempting power supply cost reduction, sector turnaround

Smart power procurement, ERP mandates and infrastructure upgrades are helping Bihar lower electricity supply costs and improve the efficiency and quality of power distribution

Link power tariff hikes to inflation, suggests expert report to 16th FC

An expert report to the 16th Finance Commission suggests inflation-linked power tariff hikes could ensure timely revenue recovery for discoms and help consumers avoid sharp increases

Rewiring power reforms: Discom profitability is an encouraging start

India's discoms return to profitability after a decade of losses, boosted by fuel cost pass-through, smart metering, and sector reform incentives

Gujarat, Odisha power discoms lead this year's performance rankings

Gujarat's power utilities and Odisha's private discoms emerged as top performers in the latest power ministry rankings, while utilities in Telangana and Jharkhand featured among the weakest performers

A Budget for India's strategic growth, jobs and global competitiveness

The document will be pivotal in outlining agenda that sustains growth and capex, enhances manufacturing and technological capabilities, creates jobs, and makes our economy more dynamic and competitive

India's power reforms: New policy aims to address persistent fault lines

The policy rightly recognises that tariff dysfunction is at the heart of the sector's problems

New national policy pegs ₹200 trn investment for power sector by 2047

It proposes reforms to improve sector viability, including cost-reflective tariffs, tighter regulatory timelines and competition in distribution

Power secretary asks discoms to cut supply costs, rethink coal sourcing

Power secretary Pankaj Agarwal has asked distribution utilities to cut electricity supply costs by securing cheaper coal, rationalising transmission charges and simplifying tariffs, amid concerns over

Centre urges power utilities to cut supply costs to ease burden on users

At present, ‍India ‍has extended a ‌complete waiver of inter-state transmission charges for electricity storage projects until June 2028

Time to cut litigation, review excessive regulation in power sector: Secy

Power secretary calls for cutting litigation and reviewing excessive regulation as India pushes ahead with power sector reforms and regulated competition

Power consumption rises 7% to 138.39 billion units in Dec amid cold wave

Power consumption grew nearly 7 per cent to 138.39 billion units (BU) in December from 129.39 BU a year ago, as the use of heating appliances like geysers and blowers increased on account of severe cold in North India. According to the government data, the peak power demand met or the highest supply during December also rose to 241.20 GW from 224.23 GW recorded in December 2024. The peak power demand had touched an all-time high of about 250 GW in May 2024. The previous all-time high peak power demand of 243.27 GW was recorded in September 2023. However, this summer (April onwards), the record peak power demand was 242.77 GW in June. According to government estimate, peak power demand was expected to touch 277 GW in the summer of 2025. Experts said as cold intensified in December, use of heating appliances like geysers and blowers increased. This increased the demand as well as consumption of electricity in various parts of the country, especially North. They said power consumpti

Power grid ready to meet UP's investment needs: UPPTCL MD Mayur Maheshwari

UPPTCL MD Mayur Maheshwari outlines plans for a green, tech-driven transmission grid to power Uttar Pradesh's $1 trillion economy ambition

CERC mulls moderation in power trading fee to ease electricity prices

Power regulator Central Electricity Regulatory Commission is considering rationalising transaction fees on power trading exchanges, which aims to potentially lower electricity prices as the power sector gears up for market coupling. The development came as the power regulator moves ahead with market coupling, a reform expected to improve efficiency, deepen liquidity and promote price convergence across exchanges. The move could lead to a reduction in the overall cost of power for buyers over a period of time. Market coupling, approved by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission in July this year after more than two years of deliberations, is proposed to be introduced in a phased manner, beginning with the day-ahead market (DAM) from January 2026. Under the mechanism, buy and sell bids across all power exchanges will be aggregated to discover a single market-clearing price, replacing the current system of multiple prices across platforms. An official said CERC has firmed up a

Lack of triggers, weak demand may keep power stocks under pressure

Weak power demand and surplus capacity cloud near-term prospects, but energy transition, nuclear reforms and grid upgrades offer long-term opportunities across India's power sector