India will commence operations of new coal-fired power plants in 2024, adding a combined capacity of 13.9 GW, marking the highest annual increase in at least six years, Reuters cited its power ministry as said.

The move comes as India's government cited energy security concerns amid surging power demand and low per-capita emissions to justify its continued reliance on coal. Power generation in 2023 experienced the fastest growth rate in at least five years, with an 11.3% increase.

According to a statement from the power ministry, about 19.6 GW of capacity are expected to be commissioned in the next 18 months, including the 13.9 GW set to be operational this year.

The planned capacity expansion for 2024 will be more than four times the annual average of the past five years. In 2023, India added 4 GW of coal-fired power capacity, the highest since 2019.

Coal-fired power output in India surged 14.7% last year, surpassing the growth of renewables output for the first time since at least 2019. Green energy output rose 12.2%, as per an analysis of daily load dispatch data from the federal grid regulator.

The country fell short of its target to add 175 GW of renewables capacity by 2022. The planned increase in coal-fired capacity for 2024 is expected to exceed the 13 GW increase in renewables seen in 2023.

The power ministry has outlined its vision to add at least 53.6 GW of coal-fired power capacity by March 2032, in addition to the 26.4 GW currently under construction. Coal presently accounts for over 50% of India's total installed capacity of 428.3 GW.

The construction of coal-fired projects has faced significant delays. However, the Indian government has initiated a review of long-delayed plants to address issues related to equipment and land acquisition delays.

(Writing by Riley Liang  Editing by Harry Huo)
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