Western region tops in installed power capacity

The Western region of the country has the maximum of 32.51 per cent of the total installed capacity of 2,05,340.26 MW, according to a Power Ministry report.

On an RTI query by activist Mr Om Prakash Sharma, the Ministry stated in its reply that the maximum of installed capacity of power in the country relates to thermal power, which accounts for 1,36,436.18 MW (or 66.44 per cent) of the total installed capacity.

The installed capacity of nuclear power was just 2.32 per cent at 4,780 MW, the report said. Hydro power was 39,291.40 MW and the renewable energy source was 24,832.68 MW, it said.

The installed capacity in the State ownership of power plants is 86,275.40 MW, amounting to 42.01 per cent of the total capacity and the private ownership was 56,991.23 MW (27.75 per cent), while the Central ownership was of 62,078.63 MW (30.22 per cent).

The report also gave the region-wise capacity — Northern region 66,068.14 MW (27.30 per cent); Southern region 53,156.61 MW ( 25.89 per cent); Eastern region 26,837.91 MW (13.06 per cent); North Eastern region 2,454.94 MW (1.19 per cent); and islands 76.12 MW (0.03 per cent).

The report further stated that of the total thermal power, coal contributed the maximum of 1,16,333.38 MW (85.26 per cent), followed by gas which accounted for 18,903.05 MW (13.85 per cent) and 1,199.75 MW (0.87 per cent).

The Northern region topped in the installed capacity of hydro power, while the Southern region was at the top in diesel (thermal) and renewable energy segment.

The Western region topped in the coal, gas and nuclear energy installed capacity, the report indicated.