6 POWER PLANT ENGINEERING
Board was established in each region to promote integrated operation of constituent power system.
Three Annual Plans that followed Third Plan aimed at consolidating programmes initiated during the
Third Plan.
Fourth Plan envisaged need for central participation in expansion of power generation programmes
at strategic locations to supplement activities in the State Sector. Progress during the period covering
Third Plan, three Annual Plans and Fourth Plan was substantial with installed capacity rising to 313.07
lakh kW compression; 113.86 lakh kW from Hydro-electric Projects, 192.81 lakh kW from Thermal
Power Projects and balance of 6.4 lakh kW from Nuclear Projects at the end of the Fifth Plan.
During the Sixth Plan, total capacity addition of 196.66 lakh kW comprising Hydro 47.68 lakh
kW, Thermal 142.08 lakh kW and Nuclear 6.90 lakh kW was planned. Achievement, however, has been
142.26 lakh kW (28.73 lakh kW Hydro, 108.98 lakh kW Thermal and 4.55 lakh kW Nuclear) 72.3 per
cent of the target.
The Seventh Plan power programme envisaged aggregate generating capacity of 22,245 mW in
utilities. This comprised 15,999 mW Thermal, 5,541 mW Hydro and 705 mW Nuclear of the anticipated
22,245 mW additional capacity. Central Sector Programme envisaged capacity addition of 9,320 mW
(7,950 mW Thermal, 665 mW Hydro and 705 mW Nuclear) during the Plan Period. During the Seventh
Plan, 21401.48 mW has been added comprising 17104.1 mW Thermal 3,827.38 mW Hydro and 470 mW
Nuclear. Year wise commissioning of Hydro, Thermal and Nuclear Capacity added during 1985-86 to
1989-90 is given in.
The Working Group on Power set up particularly the Planning Commission in the context of
formulation of power programme for the Eighth Plan has recommended a capacity addition programme
of 38,369 mW for the Eighth Plan period, out of which it is expected that the Central Sector Projects
would add a capacity of 17,402 mW. The programme for the first year of the Eighth Plan (1990-91)
envisages generation of additional capacity of 4,371.5 mW comprising 1,022 mW Hydro, 3,114.5 mW
Thermal and 235 mW Nuclear.
The subject ‘Power’ appears in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and as such responsibility
of its development lies both with Central and state governments. At the Centre, Department of Power
under the Ministry of Energy is responsible for development of Electric Energy. The department is
concerned with policy formulation, perspective planning, procuring of projects for investment decisions,
monitoring of projects, training and manpower development, administration and enactment of Legislation
in regard to power generation, transmission and distribution. The depart-ment is also responsible for
administration of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948 and the Indian Electricity Act, 191() and undertakes
all amendments thereto. The Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948, forms basis of administrative structure of
electricity industry. The Act provides for setting up of a Central Electricity Authority (CEA) with
responsibility, inter-alia, to develop a National Power Policy and coordinate activities of various agencies
and State Electricity Boards. The act was amended in 1976 to enlarge scope and function of CEA and
enable of creation of companies for generation of electricity.
The Central Electricity Authority advises Department of Power on technical, financial and
economic matters. Construction and operation of generation and transmission projects in the Central
Sector are entrusted to Central Power Corporations, namely, National Thermal Power Corpora-tion
(NTPC), National Hydro-Electric Power Corporation (NHPC) and North-Eastern Electric Power
Corporation (NEEPCU) under administrative control of the Department of Power. The Damodar Valley
Corporation (DVC} constituted under the DVC Act, 1948 and the Bhitkra Beas, Management Board
(BBMB) constituted under the Punjab Reorganization. Act, 1966, is also under administrative control
of the Department of Power. In addition, the department administers Beas Construction Board (BCB)