The plant load factor (the ratio of actual generation to maximum possible generation) of India’s thermal power plants fell in April 2025 to 73.85 per cent, from 77.51 per cent in April 2024.
The sharpest decline was in plants owned by State governments, where the PLF slid to 66.29 per cent from 73.37 per cent. In the private sector, it was 76.33 per cent compared with 80.16 per cent. The least decline was in the Central government’s plants — 76.33 per cent from 80.16 per cent.
Experts attribute the fall to the rise in renewable energy generation — 23.85 billion kWhr in April 2025, against 17.99 per cent in April 2024. Coal-fired plants are asked to scale back to accommodate cheaper solar power during solar hours.
Permission revoked
Connectivity approval (GNA-RE) given to AM Green Ammonia (India) Pvt Ltd for 1,660 MW, and Green Infra Renewable Energy Farms Pvt Ltd for 800 MW in Tuticorin area, and to AM Green Ammonia (India) for 2,000 MW in Kakinada area, have been revoked because the companies failed to submit bank guarantees.
Accordingly, the bidding process for setting up substations in these two areas has been “kept on hold for the time being, as there are no applications from green hydrogen/ammonia developers in Tuticorin and Kakinada,” according to the minutes of the 29th meeting of the National Committee on Transmission.
Government grant for 28 innovations in rooftop solar
Who would have thought that the humble rooftop solar (RTS) lends itself to so many innovations?
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has announced a ‘call for proposal’ for “innovative projects component under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana”, offering up to ₹30 crore for selected projects.
The call lists as many as 28 innovation possibilities, showing how much one can do with rooftop solar. These are: blockchain-based peer-to-peer RTS, digital solutions for RTS, smart building materials, RTS with electric vehicles, grid-responsive RTS with battery storage solutions, discom IT systems for RTS management, special financing products along with financing intermediaries, innovative business models for RTS expansion — such as virtual net metering and rent-a-roof models, integration of RTS with smart grids, hybrid renewable solutions, community solar models, energy efficiency enhancements for RTS, advanced energy management systems, decentralised microgrids with RTS, low-cost RTS deployment techniques, demand response mechanisms for RTS, urban planning integration, solar rooftop solutions for industrial and commercial applications, predictive maintenance and data analytics for RTS, RTS in disaster-resilient infrastructure, automation and robotics in RTS deployment, enhanced safety features in RTS installations, AI-driven RTS optimisation models, collaborative models for RTS in urban housing, RTS with thermal energy storage solutions, advanced metering solutions for RTS systems and innovative policy mechanisms and regulatory models.
The last date for submission of project proposals is July 29.