India lags in power growth, China leaps

The findings of a recent mission of the power ministry to China has revealed that China has been building 50 to 55 power plants each of about 2,000 mw every year for the last five years, reports Anupama Airy.

The findings of a recent mission of the power ministry to China has revealed that China has been building 50 to 55 power plants each of about 2,000 (mega-watt) mw every year for the last five years. This means that around 1.0 to 1.5 lakh mw of power capacity was added every year, which also amounts to one power plant of 2,000 mw every week.

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Now compare this with the situation back home. India has not been able to add even 10,000 mw of capacity in a single year so far. During 2008-09, the country’s power capacity was only 3,454 mw against its target of 11,000 mw. In the year before (2007-08), a capacity addition of 9,263 mw was added against the targeted 16,300 mw.

Former power secretary, Anil Razdan attributed the slippages in the power capacity addition to the lack of adequate equipment manufacturers in the country. “We cannot compare ourselves with China. With one manufacturer, we cannot achieve such targets.”

For the current Five-Year Plan (2007-12), the power ministry has set a total capacity addition target of 78,700 mw. This too seems unachievable and the country is expected to add about 55,000 mw by 2012, a ministry official said.

State-owned equipment manufacturer Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) is already in the process of scaling up its manufacturing capacity to 15,000 mw by the end of the current fiscal. Other manufacturers like L&T-Mitsubishi combine and the joint venture of NTPC and BHEL have already entered the equipments supply market.

“Still more players are required in the equipment supply chain,” Razdan said, adding, timely award of orders is also a key to achieving targeted capacity.