India to double power generation in seven years

• 8 years ago (2015-08-31)
• David Flin

Nuclear 640

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Piyush Goyal, India’s Union Coal and Power Minister, has said that India will be able to double its power generation over the next seven years. He said: “Very clearly, as we work to provide energy access to every citizen of India, and as we work to eliminate diesel-generated power, sadly, we will still have to spend several thousand crore of rupees on diesel-generated power, which is much more expensive. The cost is borne by the people of this country, directly or indirectly. These will be replaced by thermal, gas, nuclear and renewable power, and this will generate great demand. I am confident that in the next seven years, India will be able to double its electricity generation from one trillion units to two trillion units.

“This will resolve the problem that stranded plants face, and will help in providing a market for the 17,500 MW of renewable energy we are setting up.”

He said that the cost of generation and transmission should be reduced. “My concern is that the cost of generation and transmission must come down by improving efficiency. We have to cut down levels of power theft and reduce technical losses.”