Private firms in India have expressed interest in building at least 10 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired power capacity over the next 10 years, Reuters reported.
Adani Power, JSW Group and Essar Power are among the companies that have told India’s power ministry they would be keen to expand old plants or develop stalled projects facing financial stress.
The potential investments, which have not been previously reported, could cumulatively cost billions of dollars and demonstrate renewed appetite in an industry seen by many as financially unattractive. But they also threaten to undermine progress made by the world’s No. 3 greenhouse gas emitter in weaning its economy off carbon. Citing energy security concerns and low per-capita emissions to defend India’s coal dependence, the Modi administration has been trying to attract private investment to boost its coal-fired capacity by 80 GW by 2032.
