State govts falling back on thermal power as electricity demand surges

High demand pushes states towards coal

After more than a decade, the opening up of new coal-based power plants and rising power demand were the central points of a discussion at the state power ministers’ meeting in New Delhi earlier this month hosted by the Union power ministry.

Faced with record-high power demand, states are falling back on coal-run power plants. Some are tendering new mega-size plants and some are expanding existing units. This year, India’s power demand nationwide crossed 240 Gw and since August, there has been a 20 per cent increase in electricity demand every month.

For the past several years, the focus of the annual