Central Electricity Authority recently released statistics of the power sector, relating to March 2021, thereby completing the picture for FY21. Here are some highlights relating to the power generation segment.
- India could add 5,436 mw of new generation capacity from conventional sources (thermal and hydro) in FY21, as against 7,065 mw in FY20. Central PSU NTPC was responsible for most of the capacity addition in FY21. There was no new nuclear power generation capacity added in FY21, as was the case with FY20.
- Electricity generation, through conventional sources (including large hydropower), was 1,251 billion kwh (BU) in FY21, down 1.3 per cent from 1,234 BU in FY20.
- Import of electricity from Bhutan grew 52 per cent from 5.794 BU in FY20 to 8.791 BU in FY21. (Related story).
- Power generation from nuclear power plants recorded a rather sharp year-on-year decline of 7.6 per cent to touch 42.949 BU in FY21.
- Electricity generation from renewable energy sources (excluding large hydropower) is estimated to have risen by 5 per cent to reach 155 BU in FY21 from 147 BU in FY20.
- The share of renewable energy (excluding large hydropower) in India’s total electricity generation in FY21 is estimated to be 11 per cent, unchanged from FY20.
- Based on data for the first eleven months (April to February), wind power generation fell by 7.5 per cent in FY21 while solar power generation rose significantly by nearly 21 per cent.
- Wind and solar together accounted for over 80 per cent of the total electricity generated from renewable energy sources in FY21 (April to February).
- India’s total power generation capacity stood at 3,82,151 mw, as of March 31, 2021, according to provisional estimates.
- Renewable energy sources (excluding large hydropower) had a share of around 25 per cent in India’s total power generation capacity, as of March 31, 2021. [This is a provisional estimate.]
- A little over half of India’s total installed power generation capacity, as of March 31, 2021, came from coal-fired power plants.
- The private sector represented the largest ownership group of India’s overall installed power generation capacity (including conventional and renewables). As of March 31, 2021, the private sector had a share of 47 per cent. This dominance comes from renewable energy capacity where the private sector has almost solo ownership.
Note: FY21 runs from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021; FY20 is from April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020)
