With summer peak demand in BEST supply areas now at 950 MW and set to touch 1000 MW soon, the undertaking announced that it has expedited work to replace a vast span of 373 km cable network (of a total 1000 km planned) besides revamping 1000 distribution substations and 15 receiving stations in south Mumbai and other parts of the island city. Some of these cables are 80-100 years old and need replacement. The massive project, with Rs.16.32 billion sanctioned funds from the Centre will not just improve the capacity of power distribution and strengthen cables but will also ensure uninterrupted power supply.India invokes a 21-yr-old power law as it braces for one of the worst heatwaves India has invoked a 21-year-old emergency provision to order its idling gas-fired power stations to operate during the summer, as electricity demand starts to rise. All gas-based power generating stations [GBSs] have been told to operationalise their plants from May 1 to June 30 in view of rise in electricity demand due to a likely prolonged heat wave this summer. A significant portion of gas-based generating stations (GBSs) is currently unutilised, primarily due to commercial considerations. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted above-normal maximum temperatures over most parts of the country during the 2024 summer. The ministry has projected 260 GW peak power demand this summer (April to June 2024). Peak power demand had touched an all-time high of 243 GW in September last year. The decision to operationalise GBSs is part of a series of measures taken by the Centre to ensure that electricity demand in the summer is met.Signify illuminates 60+ tribal villages in AP, touching over 17,000 livesSignify has illuminated 61 tribal and marginal villages in Parvathipuram Manyam district, Andhra Pradesh, with energy-efficient LED street lighting. The project was executed in partnership with a Grassroot NGO, Jana Kalyana Samakhya as part of the company’s ‘Har Gaon Roshan’ CSR programme, which focuses on sustainable rural development and women's safety across India. The illuminated streets reduced the risk of human-wildlife conflict cases, providing more time for economic activities. The initiative brought about a favourable transformation for over 16,500 villagers and over 3,900 households with over 700 high-quality energy efficient outdoor streetlights.Contact: SignifyWebsite: www.signify.comIndia’s RE sector achieves record capacity addition in FY24, led by solarIndia’s total renewable energy capacity reached 144 GW, with solar power contributing 82 GW and wind power 46 GW. The fiscal year that ended on31 March 2024 proved to be a strong year for the country’s renewable energy sector. It achieved the highest-ever annual new capacity addition to the grid, spurred by the solar power segment, which accounted for 81 per cent of the addition.The total new capacity added during FY24 stood at 18,485 MW, which was higher than the capacity added in FY23 at 15,274 MW, the previous highest annual addition. On average, the renewable energy sector added about 15,950 MW per annum in the past three years – FY24, FY23, and FY22.India hydropower output records steepest fall in nearly four decadesIndia's hydroelectricity output fell at the steepest pace,16.3 per cent, in at least 38 years, as erratic rainfall forced further dependence on coal-fired power amid higher demand. Renewables accounted for 11.7 per cent of India's power output, down from 11.8 per cent a year earlier. Hydro's share in India's total power output fell to a record low of 8.3 per cent, compared with an average of 12.3 percent in 10 years through 2020. The share of hydropower has steadily declined amid a slowdown in addition of new capacity, with other sources including coal, solar and wind gaining share.