India: Conventional Power Generation Up 10% Y-o-Y in Oct’18

Indian conventional power generation has attained its highest total for the FY19 in Oct’18. According to the data provided by Power Ministry, power output during the month was 113.366 BU, rising 5% M-o-M from 108.327 BU in Sep’18.

Conventional power generation includes output from thermal plants, hydro plants, nuclear plants and electricity imported from Bhutan.

In order to cater the growing electricity demand, power output in Oct’18 was marked well above its monthly target, while the corresponding total had also recorded its highest y-o-y growth in the month.

Conventional power generation has increased on the y-o-y basis in each of the first 7 months of FY19; however, output in Oct’18 was in particular 10% higher on the year from 102.88 BU in Oct’17, noting its highest growth rate.

A source-wise break of total power output indicated that thermal power generation in Oct’18 was marked highest over the two year period (2017-18). Thermal power output rose 11% on the monthly and yearly basis to 97.358 BU.

The rise in thermal power output was driven by the drastic fall in hydro power output which after attaining year- high total in the month of August is meant to decline for the remainder part of the fiscal with fall in water levels.

Hydro power output in Oct’18 dropped 28% M-o-M to 12.622 BU from 17.426 BU in Sep’18, but was still 13% higher on the year from 11.183 BU in Oct’17 and has also attained its monthly target.

Total output from Hydro plans in the first 7 months of FY19 (Apr’18-Oct’18) had increased 4% Y-o-Y to 96 BU compared with 92.567 BU in the same period last year. Thermal output in the 7-month period has gone up 5% to 626.968 BU.

Nuclear power output improved on the month to 3.033 BU in Oct’18 against 2.652 BU in Sep’18, but was 3% lower on the year from 3.123 BU in Oct’17.

Electricity sourcing from Bhutan, however, continued to fall on the month, marked at a 5-month low of 0. 354 BU in Oct’18. Total imports in the 7-month period have also decreased 5.5% Y-o-Y to 4.167 BU.

Source: Power Ministry
Quantity in BU
*excludes generation from Hydro stations upto 25 MW

India’s total power output from conventional sources was 749.173 BU in the 7-month period of FY19, up 5% Y-o-Y from 714.135 BU recorded in corresponding period of FY18.