India May Need Up To 150 GW Additional Coal Power Capacity By 2035: CEA

New Delhi, Oct 14 (KNN) India may need to add 105-150 gigawatts (GW) of coal-based power capacity by 2035, exceeding the 97 GW currently planned, to meet rising electricity demand and ensure grid stability, Central Electricity Authority (CEA) Chairperson Ghanshyam Prasad said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the 20th India Energy Summit organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce, Prasad stressed the need for adequate baseload capacity to balance fluctuations in renewable power generation and address limited energy storage availability.

India May Need Up To 150 GW Additional Coal Capacity By 2035

He said electricity demand was currently 45-50 GW higher than last year, putting pressure on coal supplies and limiting opportunities for scheduled maintenance of thermal power plants.

Coal-based electricity generation rose nearly 10 percent year-on-year to 579,869.38 million units (MU) during April-August, compared with 527,542.87 MU in the corresponding period last year. Generation during the period was the highest in three years.

In contrast, hydropower generation declined over 11 percent to 75,304.58 MU from 84,767.77 MU a year earlier, amid deficient monsoon rainfall, reported The Indian Express.

Coal Stocks Decline Amid Rising Power Demand

The increase in coal-based generation has also contributed to falling fuel inventories. Coal stocks at domestic coal-based power plants declined around 66 percent by the end of September this year, compared with a 23 percent decline during the same period last year.

“The stock is depleting almost every day. We need to put these plants under maintenance as well. We are not finding time to put them on the maintenance cycle,” Prasad said.

He called for a balanced energy mix and adequate baseload capacity to ensure reliable electricity supply, noting that India had shifted its policy several years ago towards greater coal-based generation capacity additions.

Renewable Energy Expansion To Continue Alongside Coal

The renewed emphasis on coal capacity marks a shift from the National Electricity Plan of 2018, which had indicated that no additional coal-based capacity would be required beyond projects already planned.

However, Prasad said the focus on coal would not come at the cost of renewable energy expansion. India would continue adding around 50 GW of renewable energy capacity annually, with nuclear power and pumped-storage hydropower also contributing to the energy mix.

Grid Integration Challenges Raise Stability Concerns

He also highlighted challenges in integrating large volumes of renewable energy into the grid, particularly in Rajasthan and Gujarat, where the concentration of renewable projects has led to grid trippings involving the automatic disconnection of generation units or transmission lines under abnormal operating conditions.

(KNN Bureau)