Energy News Beat
The power ministry may not participate in the accelerated coal transition investment plan submitted by the World Bank as it is not considering repurposing or retiring any coal-based thermal power plant before 2030, said people with knowledge of the matter.
The plan offers to facilitate a transition away from coal.The ministry’s stance comes as energy demand has been increasing in the country and capacity availability needs to be ensured, said the people.
Power minister RK Singh had said in September that India needs 25-30 GW more of thermal capacity than the 51 GW already planned in the country. Most of this capacity is expected to come from coal-based units.
“We will make available the electricity required for our growth and we are not going to default on that,” Singh had said.
Thermal power plants have already been advised by the ministry to implement renovations and modernisation and life extension of their units for running up to 2030 and beyond or operating in two-shift mode to facilitate solar and wind energy integration into the grid.
Since August, power demand has increased sharply, led by irrigation, cooling appliances, lower hydro power generation and higher economic growth, according to government officials.
Overall power consumption between September 1 and October 22 increased about 14% year-on-year to 240.4 billion units.
Grid India, the demand and supply management cell of the power ministry, expects demand to “remain elevated” throughout this financial year.
As per a Goldman Sachs report, India will need 23 GW more coal capacity than was planned by the government as stationary storage capacity could fall short of demand by 2031-32.
The World Bank’s accelerated coal transition programme is aimed at a just transition from coal power to clean energy in emerging economies.
Source: Economictimes.indiatimes.com
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