India Has Adequate Power Capacity, Ministry Says

17 Mar 2026 CW Team

The ministry reported that energy supplied had matched energy requirement with only a marginal gap largely attributable to constraints in state transmission and distribution networks. To bridge peak hour shortfalls hydro generation was being scheduled to conserve water for peak periods and planned maintenance of generating units was minimised during high demand. The ministry said steady coal supplies to thermal plants were ensured, generators were advised to maintain full daily availability except during planned or forced outages, and the national grid was being strengthened to transfer power from surplus to deficit regions.

The ministry outlined generation and storage planning under the National Electricity Plan, which projects installed capacity at 874 GW by 2031-32 and requires states to prepare 10-year rolling Resource Adequacy Plans. It said projected thermal capacity requirement by 2034-35 was approximately 307,000 MW against 211,855 MW installed as on 31 March 2023, and that an additional minimum 97,000 MW coal and lignite based capacity was envisaged. The ministry provided progress figures, reporting about 18,160 MW of thermal capacity commissioned since April 2023, 38,745 MW under construction, 22,920 MW with contracts awarded and 24,020 MW identified at various planning stages.

The ministry said hydro, nuclear, renewable and storage projects were progressing with significant capacities under construction and in planning. Transmission planning and right of way guidelines were being advanced and the Minister of State, Shripad Naik, provided the information in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

The Ministry of Power reported that the total installed power generation capacity in the country was 520,511 megawatt (MW) as on 31 January 2026 and affirmed that there was adequate availability of power nationwide. The ministry said that the Government had added 296.388 gigawatt (GW) of fresh generation capacity since April 2014, which had transformed the country from power deficit to power sufficient. Current installed generation capacity was cited as 520.51 GW in government records and the ministry noted continued capacity expansion. The ministry reported that energy supplied had matched energy requirement with only a marginal gap largely attributable to constraints in state transmission and distribution networks. To bridge peak hour shortfalls hydro generation was being scheduled to conserve water for peak periods and planned maintenance of generating units was minimised during high demand. The ministry said steady coal supplies to thermal plants were ensured, generators were advised to maintain full daily availability except during planned or forced outages, and the national grid was being strengthened to transfer power from surplus to deficit regions. The ministry outlined generation and storage planning under the National Electricity Plan, which projects installed capacity at 874 GW by 2031-32 and requires states to prepare 10-year rolling Resource Adequacy Plans. It said projected thermal capacity requirement by 2034-35 was approximately 307,000 MW against 211,855 MW installed as on 31 March 2023, and that an additional minimum 97,000 MW coal and lignite based capacity was envisaged. The ministry provided progress figures, reporting about 18,160 MW of thermal capacity commissioned since April 2023, 38,745 MW under construction, 22,920 MW with contracts awarded and 24,020 MW identified at various planning stages. The ministry said hydro, nuclear, renewable and storage projects were progressing with significant capacities under construction and in planning. Transmission planning and right of way guidelines were being advanced and the Minister of State, Shripad Naik, provided the information in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

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