India's total power generation capacity crosses 300 GW mark

New Delhi, August 1 India's total installed power generation capacity has crossed the 300-GW mark, which includes 42 GW of renewable energy sources, including solar and wind.

India's total power generation capacity was 3,03,118.21 MW as on June 30, 2016, which includes 42,848.43 MW, stated Power Minister Piyush Goyal in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha today.

According to the statement, private sector's cumulative installed power generation capacity was 1,24,995.51 MW as on June 30, 2016 while central plants account for 76,296.76 MW and state capacities 101,825,94 MW.

The minister also stated that the country has generated 12.01 billion units of electricity from renewable energy sources till June-end this fiscal while the output was 65.78 billion units in 2015-16 and 61.78 billion units in 2014-15.

The target from clean sources in 2015-16 was 70 billion units. The minister also told the House that 1,107.82 billion units of electricity were generated last fiscal.

Thermal power constituted 85.19 per cent of the total generation in 2015-16 while hydro contributed 10.96 per cent and nuclear power's share was 3.38 per cent. India imported 5.24 billion units of electricity from Bhutan last fiscal, which was 0.47 per cent of the total output.

Goyal also said that to meet the rising demand of power, as per 18th Electric Power Survey (EPS), the capacity addition target of 88,537 MW from conventional sources has been planned during 12th Five-Year Plan. Against this target, 86,565.72 MW has been achieved till June 30, 2016, he added.

PTI