Study States: India's net coal-powered capacity additions to fall short of target

A study by US-based think tank Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis (IEEFA) has projected that the country's net coal-powered capacity by 2030 would be lower than the government estimates, as per the reports.

India's net coal-fired capacity by FY2030 is pegged at 230 Gw, implying an incremental addition of 26 Gw over the present nameplate capacity. The Central Electricity Authority's (CEA) optimal energy mix by 2029-30 projects India's coal-based capacity to be 266.8 Gw – a net addition of 64 Gw on the current installed capacity. CEA's projection exceeds National Electricity Plan 2018 by 17 Gw. NEP had identified 49 GW of end-of-life capacity retirements, and capacity that should be retired due to age plus space constraints preventing the implementation of emission control systems on plant facilities, according to IEEFA's prediction.

As per the report by IEEFA, “Given the dire financial situation of the thermal power sector, construction of new coal-fired power plants without subsidy support from the government will be highly risky and unviable. India’s largest thermal power developer NTPC recently announced that it will not undertake any new thermal power plant development beyond its current portfolio. India’s largest private power company, Tata Power, reached the same conclusion in 2018.”