62000 MW power capacity addition likely in 11th Five Year Plan–Shinde
16-Nov-2009
Vinod Kumar Gupta

New Delhi: The country is all set to add 62000MW of power in 11th Five year plan against earlier target of 78700 MW, said Union Minister of Power Sushilkumar Shinde in power minister’s conference.

Shinde requested the state governments to lay special emphasis on completion of works in respect of the units which are likely to be delayed in view of growing requirement of electricity in all walks of life. Strict monitoring of critical projects, facilitation in land acquisition, water allocation, and placement of order for balance of plant equipment was re-emphasized.

The conference discussed and deliberated upon critical issues related to generation capacity addition, open access in transmission and distribution, Rural Electrification through Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana and strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution system through Restructured AcceleratedPower Development and Reforms Programme.

The Power Utilities were also advised to plan for coal imports for a period of 2 to 3 years, as the domestic coal supply was not likely to be adequate for the increasing requirement of electricity generation.

It was underlined at the conference that open access in inter-state transmission was effective but open access in intra-state transmission and distribution was still largely restricted to captive consumers; open access to consumers other than captive has been a non-starter on account of various reasons.

Under the “Re-structured APDRP” for 11th Plan, 1,130 projects costing Rs.4, 183.93 crore have been approved in the eighteen States for establishment of baseline data and IT applications for energy accounting / auditing & IT based consumer service centers; balance projects are likely to be approved shortly.

Addressing the delegates, Minister of State for Power, Bharatsinh Solanki said that the future economic growth of the country depends on long-term availability of reliable and qualitypower from sources that are easily accessible and socially acceptable.

Besides Power Ministers and Power Secretaries of various States and UTs, Promod Deo, Chairman, CERC, B.K. Chaturvedi, Member, Planning Commission, Rakesh Nath, Chairman, Central Electricity Authority, officials of Ministry ofPower and heads of several CPSUs attended the conference.