Speaking at a FICCI event, Power Minister RK Singh said that 205 GW demand is the new baseline for the country and that electricity demand will not go back to 160 GW.
Singh said that there will be a single point of entry for buying and selling electricity from anywhere. Also, discoms have been given the option of paying gencos in installments.
Discom's electrical access will be restricted if they do not pay their payments on time. Short-term electricity purchase access will be fully restricted, while long-term access will be cut by 10% per month, Singh added. “If we succeed in realising our vision of green hydrogen, green ammonia, and electric vehicles, we can meet our 700 GW renewable energy target by 2030,” Singh added.
The purpose of the country's energy transition is to reduce the country's dependence on foreign imports, said Alok Kumar, the Power Secretary. Kumar added that the government is working on combining renewable energy and thermal power under the same PPA. Kumar said the government intends to continue the grid expansion project aggressively.
For the next 20 years or more, coal will be the backbone of our energy generation. The government is focused on combining renewable energy and thermal power in a single PPA. Discoms are hesitant to get into a 25-year power purchase deal, Kumar added. “We should plan for PPA for a maximum of 12-15 years. It is critical to develop a framework for short-term PPAs for renewable energy as well,” Kumar said.
