Shinde confident of achieving planned power generation target

MUMBAI: Confident of achieving the additional 78,575 MW power targeted during the current five-year plan, Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Saturday said India needs more BHEL-like power generation equipment manufacturing entities to speed up its capacity-addition programme.

"We don't have enough manufacturing capacity. That's why achieving targets are being delayed. We need four to five companies like BHEL, which can supply equipment to meet the requirements of the power sector," Shinde said here.

However, against all odds, I am confident of achieving the target this time, he added.

India could not achieve its self-imposed power generation target in the 10th plan period ending 2006. In the last five-year plan period, the country managed to add just 17,955 MW power against the 41,110 MW target.

The country's total installed capacity as on December 31, 2006 was 1,27,753 MW comprising 3,642 MW hydro, 84,020 MW thermal including gas & diesel, 3,900 MW nuclear plants and 6,191 MW from renewable energy sources including wind.

State-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) is the only company in India which currently manufactures equipment for power generation.

It, however, has the capability to manufacture equipment to meet only up to 6,000 MW generation requirements and has plans to take it to 15,000 MW per annum in the next three years.