Focus is now more on transmission and distribution sector
April 15, 2015
Total power generation in the country crossed one trillion units for the first time last fiscal.
Power generation in 2014-15 was 1048.403 billion units, 8.4 percent more than the previous year, the power ministry in a statement on Wednesday. Since 1991-92, the compounded annual growth rate of electricity generation has been around 5 percent-6.6 percent.
The biggest contributor was coal-based power stations, which recorded an annual growth rate of 12.1 percent last fiscal.
“Focus is now more on transmission and distribution sector. Following a number of steps taken by the Government for expediting forest clearances and intensive monitoring of critical transmission lines, 22,101 circuit kilometres (ckm) of transmission lines have been commissioned during the year 2014-15 against 16,748 ckm commissioned during the same period last year, thus having a growth of 31.96 percent which is the highest ever achievement in a single year. This is 106 percent of the annual target of 20,882 ckm fixed for 2014-15. Similarly, the overall increase in the transformation capacity has been 65,554 MVA during 2014-15 which is record achievement in a single year and constitutes 137 percent of the target of 47,871MVA fixed for 2014-15,” the ministry said.
The major inter-state transmission system (ISTS) commissioned in 2014-15 includes Raichur-Sholapur 765 kv second circuit which strengthened the synchronous interconnection of Southern Region (SR) with rest of the country thereby facilitating reliable operation of single frequency National Grid. The commissioning of 2nd 765 kv line from Raipur to Wardha to Aurangabad during the year provides an important corridor for transfer of power from Chhattisgarh area towards load centres in Maharashtra and further to Southern Region. Commissioning of Sholapur – Pune 765 kv line has also facilitated improvement of power supply in Maharashtra and SR. Commissioning of Silchar – Imphal and Silchar – Bongaigaon line during the year will result in significant improvement in power supply to Manipur and North-East.
The huge capacity addition coupled with higher generation and improved transmission capacity has resulted in considerably reducing the electricity energy shortage from a level of 7 to 11 percent during the last two decades to a record low of only 3.6 percent during the year 2014-15.