Power capacity addition targets missed by one third

30-Oct-2009
Vinod Kumar Gupta
New Delhi: The power capacity addition in the country has missed the scheduled target of 6462 MW by one third in the first six months of the current financial year.

According to Central Electricity Authority report 2029 MW has missed the power addition target of 6462 MW. The thermal power addition forms the major component of slippage in the report. The target for additional thermal capacity addition in first six months was 6103 MW whereas the actual addition was 4394 MW. There is slippage of 1709 MW.

The hydropower addition was only 39 MW against target of 139 MW and in case of nuclear power no addition has been made against scheduled target of 220 MW.

As per report the main slippage has been observed in the state sector projects, which account for 1424 MW including 1324 MW from under construction thermal projects.

The main reason cited by the Sushil Kumar Shinde Union Power Minister last week was the delays in the supply of Balance of Plant equipment required in commissioning of thermal units. He said that if the suppliers of generating equipments maintain their committed schedule it is possible to achieve the targets of 11th. Five year plan.

11th. Five-year plan envisaged a target of addition of 78700 MW of capacity comprising of 59693 MW in thermal sector, 15627 MW in hydro sector and 3380 of nuclear power. During a recent review of power sector planning commission has made it clear that under present circumstances it is possible to add 60,000 MW of capacity in the 11th plan.

The target of 11th. Plan can still be met and for this serious efforts are required to increase equipment-manufacturing capacity and secure fuel supply. BHEL should increase its capacity . Thermal projects across the country should import more coal to meet the targets. CEA report points out that the orders for about 20 percent critical equipments required for commission of units in 11th. Plan is yet to be placed.

In case of nuclear power unit no. 5 of atomic power plant at Kota, the testing is still going on .The target of adding 220 MW of nuclear power has been missed completely. The unit is likely to be commissioned in two to three months