India to have energy surplus of 6.4%, peak surplus of 8.2% in FY22: CEA

• Chandigarh is expected to face the widest energy and peak deficit in the country in FY22 at 24.9 percent and 35.6 percent, respectively
• Delhi will have energy surplus of 1.7 percent, however, it is expected to face a peak deficit of 15.7 percent in FY22

New Delhi: The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has said that India is likely to have an energy surplus of 6.4 percent and peak surplus of 8.2 percent in FY22. In its latest Load Generation Balance Report (LGBR) for financial year 2021-22, the CEA has said that it expects energy surplus of 24.0 percent, 7.9 percent, 7.6 percent and 7.5 percent in the North-Eastern, Western, Southern and Northern regions, respectively in 2021-22. However, eastern region is likely to face energy deficit of 5.5 percent which can be met from surplus power in other regions, the CEA said.

CEA anticipates peak surplus in 5 regions

Peak surplus of the order of 10.5 percent, 4.7 percent, 4.6 percent, 3.9 percent and 1.5 percent is anticipated in Eastern, Northern, Western, North-Eastern and Southern Regions respectively, said the CEA in the LGBR. "It is anticipated that there would be surplus in terms of energy in all States/UTs of Western and North Eastern region while some demand-supply gap is likely to be experienced by some States/UTs in Southern, Northern and Eastern region," said the report. It added that Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and DVC are expected to face energy deficits during the year.

"This information may be useful for the utilities which are likely to experience demand-supply gap, to tie-up bilateral exchange/ purchase of power from the utilities having surplus of electricity," it added.

Chandigarh to face highest energy & peak deficit in India: CEA

According to the LGBR, Chandigarh is expected to face the widest energy and peak deficit in the country in FY22 at 24.9 percent and 35.6 percent, respectively. Uttarakhand is next in line with the CEA expecting an energy deficit of 14.2 percent in the state in FY22. Delhi will have energy surplus of 1.7 percent, however, it is expected to face a peak deficit of 15.7 percent in FY22. Punjab is likely to face a peak deficit of 22 percent, Assam 31.8 percent and Manipur 22.6 percent.

Energy requirement & peak demand dropped in 2021 y-o-y due to COVID-19

According to the CEA, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, the demand for electricity has witnessed a significant decline in the months of April and May of 2020. "A comparison of actual versus anticipated energy requirement and peak demand during the months of April 2020 and May 2020 has been done which shows a reduction of 30 percent and 15 percent in Actual Peak Demand and 28 percent and 21 percent reduction in Actual Energy Requirement as compared to LGBR figures for the months of April and May 2020 respectively," said the CEA. 

"It is expected that with easing of restrictions imposed during lockdown following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic the economic activity will gain pace and the demand for electricity will track the trajectory outlined in this LGBR 2020-21," it added.

Capacity additions in 2021-22

The CEA said that around 11.47 GW of power capacity additions is expected during the year, including 10.28 GW of thermal, 700 MW of nuclear, and 492.98 MW of hydropower. For 2021-22, the Ministry of Power has approved the Gross Generation Programme of 1,521 Billion Units (BU). Coal is expected to contribute to 1,155 BU or 76 percent of the overall generation, while renewable energy (RE) sources is expected to be at 165 BU or 11 percent of the total generation. Hydropower and nuclear will account for 149.54 BU and 43.02 BU of power generation, respectively, in 2021-22.

Power supply in 2020-21

The report said that during the year 2020-21, total energy supplied decreased by 1.1 percent over the previous year and the peak power demand met showed a growth of 3.8 percent. The energy requirement registered a decline of 1.2 percent, while peak demand registered a growth of 3.5 percent during the year 2020-21 as compared to 2019-20. The CEA said that a deficit of 0.4 percent each was recorded between the energy requirement and energy supplied and peak power demand and peak power demand met in FY21.

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