Assessment of Restructured Indian Power Sector: Availability, Demand and Shortage

Abstract

The Indian power sector has undergone significant changes since 1990 by opening gateway for the independent power producers. Power planning will play an important role in the successful power reform. It is essential for India economy growth. Only a financially and commercially sound power sector can attract new investments. India ranks fifth in the world in total energy consumption and needs to accelerate the development of the sector to meet its growth aspirations. The electricity market is undergoing a tremendous transformation not only in India but throughout the world as it move towards a more competitive environment. Five different ministries have structurally handled the Indian energy sector and power is a concurrent subject of both the central government and the states. India had also cross 28 GW milestone installed grid connected renewable energy capacity. For renewable development in India, the renewable energy program has been in existence for more than three decades, but a market for renewable energy technologies still need to be exists. The country is aiming to achieve up to 20% of additional installed capacity to be set up till 2020 to come from Renewable Energy Sources (RES). In this paper, efforts have been made to summarize the availability, demand, shortage, and current assessment of restructured Indian power sector and strategies of renewable energy options in Indian competitive electricity market.