Electricity FACTS and FIGURES India

India is the fifth largest electricity producing nation in the world. Power generation has grown over 100 fold since independence to 724 bn KWh in 2008-09. Nevertheless, power shortages (approx. 10 % of total demand) prevail due to inadequte capacity, loss making state utilities, lack of comprehensive inter regional transmission links and high transmission losses mainly due to theft. Thermal powerplants generate the bulk of the electricity produced in the country. Nuclear power capacity, currently at 4,120 MWe, is expected to be augmented by an additional 2,440 MWe, currently under construction, by the year 2009. The power sector has seen vast reforms especially after the passage of theElectricity Act 2003 including the formation of independent regulators like CERC.

Power Grid Corp. (PGCIL) operates one of the largest (over 50,000 circuit kms) grid sytems in the world and transmits approximately 40 per cent of total power generated (excl. captive) in India. India's captive power plants generated 68.2 bn kWh of electricity during 2003-04. Large captive power users include the aluminium, petrochemical and iron and steel industrial sectors.

While the total additional power capacity targeted for the year ending Mar '09 is 11,061 MW only 1,759 MW of capacity addition had been achieved in the first six months till Sep '08. Renewable sources of energy, mainly wind and small hydro, contributed seven per cent of total electricity generation in 2006.

Over 82 per cent of the nearly 600,000 villages spread across India have been electified at the end of Aug 08.

Power Generation (2006-07)

Type	Generation Billion kWh
Thermal	527.6
Hydel	113.4
Nuclear	18.6
Wind	2.8²
Captive (>1 MW)	68.2¹
¹ Captive (2003-04) includes 39.6 bn KWh Steam, 13.4 bn KWh Diesel, 14.9 bn KWh Gas Turbine, 0.2 bn KWh Wind and 0.1 bn KWh Hydro generated power. ² Wind power based on figures for the year 2003-04.

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