Power demand will continue to rise, 205 GW is new baseline: RK Singh
Premium- Singh said the power demand in the country will not go back to the pre-covid levels of 160 GW.
New Delhi: India’s power demand will continue to grow and largely remain above 205 GW going ahead, union minister for power R.K. Singh said on Thursday.
Speaking at the India Energy Transition Summit 2022, Singh said that the power demand in the country will not go back to the pre-covid levels of 160 GW.
"The demand will remain at this (current) level and will grow from this level. This is now the new level. It's not going back to 160 GW, the new baseline is 205 GW and it will go up from there and not come down," he said.
The statement gains significance as it comes at a time when the power demand is elevated with soaring temperatures and concerns prevail over a likely crisis situation when power demand reaches a new peak in June-end. On 9 June, power demand in the country hit a record high of 210.793 GW. The last recorded maximum power demand met stood at 203.078 GW on 15 June.
The minister also said that India will continue its efforts to increase coal production in the country.
Post the coal crisis situation in April, the government has directed states to increase the import of coal and also directed Coal India Ltd to issue tenders on behalf of state discoms and independent power producers. Last week, Coal India issued tenders for coal imports of more than 8 million tonne.
The minister also said that the government will introduce the Electricity Amendment Bill in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, which would propose raising penalties for non-compliance with renewable purchase obligations (RPO).
Outlining efforts for higher adoption of renewable energy, Singh said that the government will come out with more incentives for production of green hydrogen in India. In February, the government came up with the Green Hydrogen Policy and a comprehensive green hydrogen mission is in the making.
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Singh, who also holds the portfolio of new and renewable energy said that the government will come up with a separate RPO for wind energy as it is more expensive than solar power.
Speaking at the programme, Alok Kumar, power secretary, said that expansion of central electricity grid is key to the adoption of renewable energy in the country and grid extension will remain a major focus going ahead.
Power generation through coal is expected to be the backbone of energy generation in India for the next 20 years, he added.