India's power consumption likely to increase to 1874 billion units annually by 2027

9 Sep 2022 , 08:47 AM

According to a draft government plan, India expects its annual electricity demand to increase at an average rate of 7.2% over the five years ending in March 2027, more than doubling the growth rate of more than 4% seen during the five years prior to March 2022.

India’s power consumption will rise to 1,874 billion units in the year ending in March 2027, according to a draft plan from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), an advisory body to the power ministry, as opposed to more than 1,320 billion units in 2021—2022.

According to the plan, India will increase its power-generating capacity by 165.3 gigawatts (GW) over a five-year period ending in March 2027, with the majority of this capacity coming from renewable energy sources. In comparison to the current installed capacity of 404.1 GW, that would be a 41% increase.

An economic downturn followed by the enforcement of statewide lockdowns to prevent the spread of the coronavirus has slowed the rate of India’s power demand rise in recent years. India produces and consumes far fewer greenhouse gases per person than the majority of Western nations while being the world’s third-highest producer of greenhouse gases. India and China are responsible for the lion’s share of new renewable energy added globally.

According to the CEA, new solar power plants would account for 92.6 GW, wind power for 25 GW, coal-fired capacity currently under development for 25.8 GW, and nuclear power for an additional 7 GW.

India will also shut down 11 coal-fired power facilities during a five-year period ending in March 2027, totaling 4.62 GW in capacity. According to the draft plan, coal will continue to be India’s primary fuel for power generation, and demand for it is expected to increase by 3.8%. Coal currently contributes 75% of India’s electrical production and 50% of its installed capacity.

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