🚀 India's Energy Revolution: 1 Terawatt Power Goal Set for 2035 - What You MUST Know!

India is embarking on an ambitious journey to significantly boost its power generation capabilities, aiming to reach an installed capacity of over 1 Terawatt (1,000 Gigawatts) by the fiscal year 2034-35. This monumental target is part of the soon-to-be-released National Electricity Plan (NEP) for 2034-35, developed by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).

The current installed power capacity in India stands at approximately 505 GW. Projections indicate that this capacity will more than double within the next decade to meet escalating electricity demand, which is growing at an annual rate of 7-8%, and to fulfill Net Zero emission commitments.

National Electricity Plan 2034-35

• The CEA has submitted its National Electricity Plan (NEP) 2034-35, along with electricity demand estimates up to 2070, to NITI Aayog.
• This plan signifies a shift towards a dynamic, rolling system of power planning, moving away from traditional static five-year cycles.
• The plan is expected to be formally released shortly by the Union Power Minister, signalling a clear roadmap for the sector.

Future Power Mix by 2047

• The CEA has outlined an indicative power mix for 2047, showcasing a diversified energy portfolio.
• Key components include:
  • 100 GW of nuclear power
  • 97–100 GW of coal power (already in pipeline)
  • 116 GW of pumped hydro storage
  • A massive 1,200 GW of solar power
  • 400–450 GW of wind power
• This mix projects over 2,100 GW of renewable energy capacity, including other sources.

Boosting Manufacturing and Supply Chains

• To support the rapid expansion, particularly in solar, wind, and storage projects, the industry is urged to accelerate production.
• CEA Chairperson Ghanshyam Prasad called upon manufacturers to standardize and pre-produce components like transformers and reactors.
• The goal is to enable utilities to purchase these essential parts "off the shelf," reducing current lead times of 12–14 months.

Addressing Skill Gaps and Innovation

• India faces a shortage of skilled technicians, with many migrating to the telecom sector.
• Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. is actively addressing this by establishing training institutes, with more planned.
• A proposal for a 'Power University,' modelled on Singapore's NTU, is being examined to foster academia-industry collaboration and speed up innovation.

Quality and Safety

• The CEA is committed to maintaining and improving the quality of Indian electrical equipment, ruling out any dilution of testing norms.
• The aim is for Indian products to achieve global trust and recognition.
• A national portal has been launched to track all power sector accidents, promoting a move towards zero-accident operations.

Impact

• This ambitious plan will drive substantial investment in power generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure across India.
• It will create significant opportunities for manufacturers of renewable energy equipment, transformers, and related components.
• The focus on skilled development and quality improvement will enhance the overall efficiency and reliability of the power sector.
• Impact Rating: 9/10

Difficult Terms Explained

• Terawatt (TW): A unit of electrical power equal to one trillion watts. It's a massive unit used to measure large-scale energy generation capacity.
• Gigawatt (GW): A unit of electrical power equal to one billion watts. Commonly used for power plant capacities.
• Net Zero: A target to balance the amount of greenhouse gas emitted with the amount removed from the atmosphere, aiming for no net increase in emissions.
• Pumped Hydro Storage: A type of hydroelectric energy storage used with a combination of two water reservoirs at different elevations, acting like a giant battery.
• Reactors: Electrical devices used in power systems to control voltage and current, often for grid stability.
• National Portal: An online platform created by the government to log and track specific data, in this case, power sector accidents.