Set up a National Energy Commission: Kalam

Stressing on the importance of country's energy security, former President APJ Abdul Kalam today suggested setting up of a National Energy Commission.

Stressing on the importance of country's energy security, former President APJ Abdul Kalam on Wednesday suggested setting up of a National Energy Commission.

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The Commission, according to Kalam, would help in co-ordinating efforts to meet the rising energy needs of the country's growing population.

Speaking at the conference on India's Energy Future organised by the Economist magazine, Kalam said highest priority should be given to energy efficiency.

"India is expected to need a power generation capacity of 4,00,000 MW by 2030 from (current levels) of over 2,00,000 MW," he said.

This is based on the assumption that energy demand is to grow around 5% annually.

According to him, out of the total expected addition of around 45,000 MW is expected to come from nuclear energy while hydro sources could account for at least 50,000 MW during the same period.

The former President also touched upon the issue of subsidies in the power sector.

"Generating, transmission and distribution (of electricity) should not have any subsidy. What all subsidy has to be given to the economically vulnerable section of the society, it should be given directly by the government...," he said.

M Govinda Rao, member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC), said that big investments need to be made in nuclear power to ensure country's energy security.

A growing reliance on imports of coal as well as oil and gas, would exacerbate energy worries in the coming decade, he added. Rao is also director of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.

Meanwhile, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has also come out with a white paper on 'Empowering growth: Perspectives on India's energy future", which was commissioned by Cairn India.