Bengal’s power consumption to double in 10 years: Report
Times of India | 21 April 2025
12 Kolkata: Power consumption in Bengal would more than double to 134 billion units per year in the next 10 years, a study conducted by JSW Energy, the power arm of JSW group, revealed.
The company is setting up a 1,600 MW ultra super critical thermal plant at Salboni, as announced by group chairman Sajjan Jindal at the last Bengal Global Business Summit, which will be inaugurated by CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday.
Joint MD of JSW Energy Sharad Mahendra said power consumption in the state was 64 billion units per year; according to the study this would go up to 134 billion units by 2034-35. Power consumption in the country is now 1,700 billion units. The growth in power demand would be driven by rapid urbanisation and growth of services like IT and data centres in the state, Mahendra said.
He pointed out that per capita consumption of power at 650 units in the state was lower than the national average. Mahendra also indicated that besides the thermal power plant, the company was also keen on developing green energy like pumped storage. "We are interested in stage 3 of the Purulia Pumped Storage Project. But nothing has materialised as yet," he said.
JSW Energy is now majorly focusing on hybrid power projects. Mahendra said a hybrid model, with a mix of renewable and storage (both dry and pumped), was being considered to ensure reliability of projects. JSW Energy has an operative capacity of 12.2 gigawatts with 54% green and 46% thermal. It has a target of 30 gigawatts by 2030.
The director, finance of JSW Energy, Pritesh Vinay, said the first unit of the Salboni project would be ready in 42 months and the second in 48 months. The company has a 25-year PPA with WBSEDCL.