Ministry of Power under the able leadership of PM Modi has achieved remarkable milestones during the first 100 days : Manohar Lal

“Ministry of Power under the able leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has achieved remarkable milestones during the first 100 days of the new Government” remarked the Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Affairs at a press conference in New Delhi today.

The Union Minister also said that the Ministry prepared its 100 Days Plan with a vision to strengthen the power infrastructure, enhance capacity, increase connectivity and expanding international reach.

He said that the achievements in power sector during this period shows the Ministry’s focus on Policy Reforms and introduction of new initiatives which will go a long way in strengthening and empowering the Indian power sector.

Speaking on the National Electricity Plan Union Minister said that National Electricity Plan 2023 to 2032 for Central and State Transmission Systems has been finalised.  This plan is aimed at meeting a peak demand of 458 GW by 2032.

Under the previous plan 2017-22, about 17,700 ckm lines and 73 GVA transformation capacity were added annually.  Under the new plan, transmission network in the country will be expanded from 4.85 lakh ckm in 2024 to 6.48 lakh ckm in 2032.  During the same period the transformation capacity will increase from 1,251 GVA to 2,342 GVA.

Nine High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) lines of 33.25 GW capacity will be added in addition to 33.5 GW presently operating.  Inter-Regional transfer capacity will increase from 119 GW to 168 GW.  This plan covers the network of 220 kV and above.

Union Minister informed that the total cost of the plan is Rs 9.15 lakh Cr.  This plan will help in meeting the increasing electricity demand, facilitate RE integration and green hydrogen loads into the grid.

The Union Minister also said that 50 GW ISTS Capacity has been approved.The transmission network of 335 GW is planned to evacuate 280 GW of Variable Renewable Energy (VRE) to the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) by 2030.

Out of this, 42 GW has already been completed, 85 GW is under construction, and 75 GW is under bidding. Balance 82 GW will be approved in due course.

Transmission Schemes corresponding to 50.9 GW capacity have been approved during the 100 days.  The total estimated cost of the approved projects is Rs. 60,676 Cr.

The approval covers transmission systems for Gujarat (14.5 GW RE), Andhra Pradesh (12.5 GW RE), Rajasthan (7.5 GW RE), Tamil Nadu (3.5 GW RE), Karnataka (7 GW RE), Maharashtra (1.5 GW RE), Madhya Pradesh (1.2 GW Thermal power), Jammu & Kashmir (1.5 GW Hydro power), and Chhattisgarh (1.7 GW).

The approved transmission system includes the evacuation of renewable electricity, including offshore wind power in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.  This will support the power requirements of planned Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia projects in these states, as well as pumped storage potential near in Maharashtra.  Additionally, the approved system will facilitate the evacuation of hydro power from Jammu & Kashmir and thermal power from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Highlighting another major achievement Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal informed that 83596 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) households located in remote and far flung areas have been electrified.

Speaking on agricultural feeders Union Minister informed that out of 80,631 feeders, 49,512 agricultural feeders where agriculture load is more than 30% have already been segregated.  Segregation of the remaining 31,119 feasible feeders have been sanctioned to provide reliable daytime power supply to farmers. The union minister informed that the cost of this is Rs 43,169 crore.

Speaking on the occasion Union Minister also informed that a specialized Computer Security Incident Response Team for the power sector (CSIRT-Power) has been established.  The facility is equipped with advanced infrastructure, cutting-edge cybersecurity tools, and key resources, CSIRT-Power is now well-prepared to tackle emerging cyber threats in power sector.

Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal also said that revised guidelines for EV charging infrastructure, “Guidelines for Installation and Operation of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure-2024” have been issued to support creation of a nationwide connected and interoperable EV charging network.

The provisions under these guidelines serve as a blueprint to expedite deployment of EV charging infrastructure to cater to future EV charging demand.  This will help increase the charging stations to about 01 lakh by 2030.  Major features of the guidelines include:

1. Standard procedure and timelines for grant of electricity connections for charging
2. use of open communication protocols to enable interoperability of EV chargers
3. Criteria for optimal selection of locations for siting Public EV charging stations in urban areas and along highways
4. Transparency in charging fee structure:  electricity tariff capped at Average Cost of Supply (ACOS) till FY 2028; tariff subsidy charging during solar hours increased from 20% of ACOS to 30%.
5. Improvement in charging business viability
6. Safety and connectivity requirements for users and EV chargers specified
7. Promotion of use of innovative technologies like Vehicle to Grid discharging, Pantograph Charging.

He also informed that India has taken a major step toward a greener future with the introduction of two new building codes: the Energy Conservation and Sustainable Building Code (ECSBC) for commercial buildings and the Eco Niwas Samhita (ENS) for residential buildings. The revised codes apply to large commercial buildings and multi-storied residential complexes with a connected electricity load of 100 kW or more, which means the codes will impact big offices, shopping malls, and apartment buildings and will help in further reduction of 18% electricity consumption.  Additionally, it incorporates sustainability features related to natural cooling, ventilation, water, and wastewater disposal.  States may adopt these building codes.

Union minister also informed India has a Pumped Storage Project (PSP) potential of more than 184 GW.  We have planned to add 39 GW of PSP capacity by 2030 to address storage and grid stability needs, he added.  Presently, 4.7 GW has been installed.  Around 6.47 GW capacity is under construction, 60 GW is under various stages of survey and investigation.  Contracts for additional 3.77 GW of PSP have now been awarded.

Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal also said that we are transitioning large industrial consumers currently participating in the energy efficiency reduction regime (Perform Achieve Trade Scheme) to a GHG emissions reduction regime.

He also said that to facilitate this shift, we have established a framework for an Indian Carbon Market.  We have also published procedures for accrediting carbon verifiers of emissions reduction to verify emissions reductions.

These measures will enable the pricing of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction and the trading of carbon credit certificates.  We intend to operationalise the trading of certificates of mandatory sectors by October 2026 and of voluntary sectors by April 2026.

Union Minister also said that a new Central Financial Assistance (CFA) scheme has been approved to support the development of 15 GW of hydro capacity in the North Eastern States.  Under this scheme, the central government will provide equity assistance of up to 24% of the project equity, with a maximum of Rs. 750 crore per project, to encourage participation from North Eastern States.  This will facilitate investments and create significant direct employment opportunities for locals. The implementation period is from 2024-25 to 2031-32. The total cost is Rs. 4136 crore.

In the first 100 days the scope of budgetary support for the cost of enabling infrastructure for Hydro Electric Projects and Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) has been expanded.  In addition to roads and bridges, the support now includes financing for transmission lines, ropeways, railway sidings, and communication infrastructure.  Projects exceeding 200 MW will receive ₹0.75 crore per MW of support, while projects up to 200 MW will receive ₹1 crore per MW.  Hydro projects with a capacity exceeding 25 MW, including private sector projects, awarded before 1st July, 2028, are eligible for this support.  The implementation period is from 2024-25 to FY 2031-32.  The total outlay for the scheme is Rs. 12,461 cr.  This will support the development of 31 GW hydro potential including 15 GW of PSPs.

Talking about the Lower Arun Hydro Electric Project Shri Manohar Lal said that  The Lower Arun Hydro Electric Project (669 MW) in Nepal has now been approved by Government of India.  The project cost is 5792 Cr.  The implementation period is 60 months.

While India aggressively pursues energy transition goals, ensuring energy security remains paramount. Union Minister also informed that to meet the peak demand and base load requirements of a rapidly expanding economy, Ministry of Power has prioritized thermal capacity addition. Currently, the total thermal capacity: Coal and Lignite based stands at 217 GW. In addition, 28.4 GW capacity is under construction, out of which 14 GW capacity is likely to be commissioned by FY 2025. Further, 58.4 GW is at various stages of; planning, statutory clearances and bidding. Also, in the last 100 days, Ministry have awarded 12.8 GW of new coal based thermal capacity.