More Stories

Informist, Thursday, Mar. 19, 2026

 

NEW DELHI – India is set to more than double its installed power generation capacity to 1,121 gigawatts by 2035–36 (Apr-Mar), with non-fossil sources accounting for about 70% of the total, as the country accelerates its transition towards cleaner energy while ensuring reliability of supply, according to a report released by the Central Electricity Authority.

 

The National Generation Adequacy Plan projects that renewable energy, led by solar, will dominate future capacity addition, supported by energy storage systems and nuclear power to meet rising electricity demand. Peak power demand is expected to reach 459 gigawatts by 2035–36, while total energy requirement is seen at 3,365 billion units, as per the report released at the Bharat Electricity Summit 2026.

 

"The projections show that the country is moving toward a strong transition to non-fossil energy," the report said, adding that "renewable sources, especially solar PV, will dominate future capacity, supported by Energy Storage Systems...and nuclear power for long-term clean baseload generation."

 

India's installed capacity stood at 520.5 gigawatts as of January, according to the report, with more than half already coming from non-fossil sources. The country added a record 52.5 gigawatts of capacity during the current financial year, of which about 43 gigawatt came from renewable sources.

 

The plan estimates that by 2035–36, solar capacity will reach 509 gigawatts and wind 155 gigawatts, while coal-based capacity will remain significant at 315 gigawatts to ensure system reliability. Energy storage is also expected to expand sharply to 174 gigawatts, including battery and pumped storage systems.

 

Despite the rapid growth in clean energy, the report said coal would continue to play a major role in maintaining grid stability. "Firm power sources are required in the system which can be dispatched 24x7 round the year and in the Indian context, the source of firm power at present is predominantly coal-based generation," it said.

 

As per the report, electricity demand is projected to grow steadily over the next decade, driven by economic expansion, electrification, and emerging sectors such as electric vehicles and green hydrogen. Peak demand is expected to rise at a compounded annual rate of 5.58?tween 2024–25 and 2035–36, while energy requirement is projected to grow faster at 6.41%.

 

India's power sector has already undergone significant transformation, with installed capacity rising nearly 36% since 2021, largely driven by renewables. Non-fossil capacity has grown over 84% during the period, far outpacing fossil fuel addition, as per the report.

 

"The projections show that the country is moving toward a strong transition to non-fossil energy...supported by Energy Storage Systems...and nuclear power for long-term clean baseload generation," it said.  End

 

Reported by Pallavi Singhal

Edited by Avishek Dutta

 

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

 

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd. by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt. Ltd.

 

Informist Media Tel +91 (11) 4220-1000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

 

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2026. All rights reserved.