: Union power minister RK Singh on Tuesday said that the government will further increase coal production to meet the rising power demand in the country, while adding that coal imports have improved over the past few weeks.
Addressing a press conference, Singh also announced that the government has notified the Green Open Access Rules, 2022, which will enable small commercial and industrial consumers to demand and procure renewable energy from distribution companies if they have a contracted demand or sanctioned load of 100 kW or more. For captive consumers, there will be no load limitation. All applications for open access to green energy will be allowed by the nodal agency within 15 days, and the rules will be applicable for generation, purchase, and consumption of green energy, including from the waste-to-energy projects, the notification said.
Singh said the country was facing a power deficit in 2014, when there was a shortage of 13-15% in supply, but now India is a power surplus nation. He added that the country has been connected to one grid, and 1.12 lakh MW of power can be transferred from one corner to another.
“On a day-to-day basis, our power demand is 40,000-45,000 MW, more than the corresponding day last year. Energy consumption has gone up from 3,500 million units to 4,500 million units. Now, dry fuel output will be increased as its demand has increased,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“On a day-to-day basis, our power demand is 40,000-45,000 MW, more than the corresponding day last year. Energy consumption has gone up from 3,500 million units to 4,500 million units. Now, dry fuel output will be increased as its demand has increased,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The reserve stocks of coal came down from 24 million tonne to 19 million tonne in power plants on 30 April, and further down to 18.5 million tonne on 31 May, the minister said. India faced its worst power crisis in over six years in April due to higher electricity demand, despite record production by Coal India during the year ended March 2022 because of a sudden heatwave which spiked the country’s power demand to 207,111 MW on April 29.