Will add 15K MW power generation capacity this fiscal: Shinde

But this will still be less by about 5,000 MW against the target of 20,359 MW in 2010-11 and for the fourth consecutive year of the 11th Five Year Plan the country would miss the targets.

Shinde blamed the lack of coal availability as the reason for missing the targets. “I am a little upset now as if I don’t get coal and other fuel due to environmental restrictions,I will not be able to even meet out the revised capacity addition targets of 62,000 MW during the 11th Plan,” he said.

The minister said issues like lesser availability of coal,whose production has been affected in last one year due to environmental norms,has been presented to the Group of Ministers headed by Pranab Mukherjee for an early solution. “We have suggested what to do and the matter is under consideration. Let’s wait,” he said. Shinde,however,expressed hope that coal production would increase by 2 to 4 per cent annually in order to meet the rising needs of the power sector.

Indian power companies have imported 11 million tonne of coal so far in the current fiscal as against the power ministry’s import target of 35 MT.