Parliament Question: Power supply management during summer

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4139 ANSWERED ON 30.03.2026 POWER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT DURING SUMMER 4139 SHRI JAGGESH: Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that country may face a shortfall of around 8–10 GW of gas-based electricity generation during the peak power demand period this summer; (b) whether Government has taken steps to meet the projected peak electricity demand of about 271 GW through alternative sources such as coal, wind, hydro and nuclear energy; (c) whether coal-based power capacity has been added during the current fiscal year till January with additional capacity expected to be commissioned shortly; and (d) whether the gas allocations to be prioritized for power generation during the peak power demand to ensure adequate electricity supply? A N S W E R THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER (SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK) (a) to (d): There is adequate availability of power in the country. Present installed generation capacity of the country is 524 GW (as on February, 2026). India has addressed the critical issue of power deficiency by adding 299.87 GW of fresh generation capacity since April, 2014 transforming the country from power deficit to power sufficient. During high demand summer months, there is a contribution of about 10 GW gas-based power (non-solar hours). Presently, there are challenges in respect of availability and price volatility of ‘Natural Gas’ due to the Middle East crisis. However, the Generators are exploring alternate sources. Despite the Middle East crisis, the system is adequately positioned to meet summer demand with other alternate sources i.e. coal-based Generation, Renewables Energy and Energy Storage System compensating for reduced gas-based generation. The following measures have been taken to meet the peak electricity demand during the upcoming summer (April to June, 2026): 1. Directions under Section 11 of Electricity Act, 2003 has even issued to start operation of Tata Power’s Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd. (CGPL) power plant of 4,000 MW capacity from 1st April’26. This will ensure enhanced availability of power to five states i.e. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. 2. Close monitoring of progress under construction Power Plants (Thermal and Hydro) which are targeted to be commissioned by June, 2026.3. Accelerated clearances are being provided for commissioning of renewable energy plants, particularly wind power plants and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). 4. Planned maintenance of thermal power plants is being deferred to make available adequate generation capacity. From this, about 10,000 MW will be made available during April to June, 2026. 5. As on 22.03.2026, the coal stock available with coal-based plants in the country is around 58.2 Million Tonnes (MTs), which is sufficient to run the plants for an average of 19 days at 85% Plant Load Factor (PLF). To ensure further availability of coal to all GENCOs, Coal India Limited (CIL) has been advised to conduct auctions under Window-I & Window-II of Revised SHAKTI policy 2025 6. The average rake loading of domestic coal has gone upto 465 rakes per day in last 10 days. Coal India Limited (CIL), Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and Captive Coal Mine owners along with GENCOs have been advised to further increase rake loading of domestic coal. This is being regularly monitored by the Sub-Group constituted under Ministry of Coal (MoC). 7. The Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2026 (amending the 2005 Rules) have been notified to encourage Captive Power generation by industries. 8. Hydro based generation is being scheduled in a manner so as to conserve water for meeting demand during peak period. 9. All the GENCOs including IPPs and Central generating stations have been advised to generate and maintain full availability on daily basis excluding the period of planned maintenance or forced outage. The details of thermal power capacity which has been added during the current fiscal year 2025-26 (till January, 2026) and additional capacity expected to be commissioned till March, 2026 are given at Annexure. **********ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4139 ANSWERED IN THE RAJYA SABHA ON 30.03.2026 ************* The details of thermal power capacity which has been added during the current fiscal year 2025-26 (till January, 2026) and additional capacity expected to be commissioned in March, 2026: Sl. UNIT CAPACITY Commissioni PROJECT STATE DISTRICT SECTOR No NO. (MW) ng Date A. Thermal Capacity commissioned during the current fiscal year 2025-26 (till January, 2026) JSW Energy Private 1 Odisha Jharsuguda 2 350 01.04.2025 Utkal Limited IPP North Karanpura 2 Jharkhand Chatra Central 3 660 14.04.2025 TPP Barh STPP 3 Bihar Patna Central 3 660 05.06.2025 Stage-I Uttar 4 Obra C STPP Sonbhadra State 2 660 16.06.2025 Pradesh Sri Potti Meenakshi Andhra Private 5 Sriamulu 3 350 05.07.2025 Energy Ltd Ph II Pradesh IPP Nellore 6 Yadadri TPS Telangana Nalgonda State 1 800 12.07.2025 Vedanta Ltd Chhattisga Private 7 Chhattisgarh Raigarh 1 600 19.07.2025 rh IPP TPP Sri Potti Meenakshi Andhra Private 8 Sriamulu 4 350 21.08.2025 Energy Ltd Ph II Pradesh IPP Nellore Uttar 9 Khurja STPP Bulandshahr Central 2 660 22.09.2025 Pradesh 10 Patratu TPS Jharkhand Ramgarh Central 1 800 16.10.2025 11 Buxar TPP Bihar Buxar Central 1 660 05.11.2025 Uttar 12 Ghatampur TPP Kanpur Nagar Central 2 660 23.11.2025 Pradesh 13 Yadadri TPS Telangana Nalgonda State 4 800 08.01.2026 North Chennai Tamil 14 Thiruvallur State 6 800 24.01.2026 TPP, St-III Nadu Total 8,810 B. . Thermal Capacity expected to commission after January, 2026 to March, 2026 Sl. UNIT CAPACITY Expected PROJECT STATE DISTRICT SECTOR No NO. (MW) Commissioning Sagardighi TPP West 1 Murshidabad State 5 660 March, 2026 St-III Bangal Total 660 ****************