Coal news and updates

Sharp rise in India’s per capita electricity consumption

November 6: India’s per capita consumption of electricity stood at 917.18 kWh in 2012-13, taking a major leap of 45.26% from 631.4 kWh recorded during 2005-06, according to provisional data made available by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).

As per the data, the per capita consumption of electricity stood at 671.9 kWh in 2006-07, 717.1 kWh in 2007-08, 733.5 kWh in 2008-09, 778.6 kWh in 2009-10, 818.8 kWh in 2010-11 and 883.63 kWh in 2011-12, respectively.

As per the National Electricity Policy 2005, per capita availability of electricity was to be increased to over 1,000 units by 2012.

However, it has been estimated that per capita consumption in the country would reach 1,257 units by the end of the 12th Plan (2016-17) in view of several steps taken by the erstwhile Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and now the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

Incidentally, NDA is working on providing 24x7 power in the country through a slew of measures and if this becomes a reality, there will be significant improvement in the per capita consumption of electricity in the country.

Following table shows India’s annual per capita consumption of electricity since 2006:

* Provisional # (gross generation+net import)/mid-year population