A goodbye to climate action? Policy analyst slam 97,000 MW coal expansion plan

By A Representative

On the first day of the Hindu Lunar New Year, "Parabhava" samvatsara, a prominent energy and climate policy analyst has issued a sharp critique of the Union Government’s newly announced plan to add 97,000 MW of coal and lignite-based thermal power capacity by 2035. In a formal communication addressed to , analyst characterized the move as a potential "goodbye" to effective climate action, arguing that the policy lacks strategic foresight and ignores the rapidly evolving realities of India’s energy landscape.

The controversy stems from a statement made in Parliament by , confirming that the government aims to reach 307 GW of thermal capacity by 2034–35 to meet rising demand. Sharma and other sector observers argue this expansion is contradictory to recent data showing a structural shift away from fossil fuels. In 2025, India’s coal-fired power generation fell by 3%, marking only the second such decline in half a century. This drop was driven by a record 38 GW surge in solar capacity, which has begun to reshape the national electricity mix.

Central to the criticism is the increasing "" of clean energy. Reports indicate that in 2025, approximately 2.3 TWh of solar power was wasted—essentially switched off—because the existing grid and the rigid coal fleet could not flex enough to accommodate midday solar peaks. This resulted in an estimated loss of ₹5,750–₹6,900 crore in compensation to generators for power that was paid for but never used, while failing to avoid over 2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Critics point out that the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) previously suggested no new coal plants would be needed beyond those already under construction. Current data shows that 32.3 GW of thermal capacity is already being built, and when combined with "stressed" assets, the total capacity would exceed projected requirements. Furthermore, on India’s highest demand day in May 2024, the peak was met with only 188 GW of thermal power online, demonstrating that the existing fleet, supported by solar, is already capable of handling extreme loads.

The appeal to the Prime Minister raises fundamental questions about resource optimization and the . Sharma argues that diverting land and fresh water for new coal plants is unsustainable for a population already grappling with . He advocates for a "National Energy Policy" that prioritizes the lowest Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE)—which now favors —and shifts more demand to sunshine hours to minimize the need for expensive peak-hour backup.

As the government moves forward with its , the analyst warns that an over-reliance on high GDP growth figures may be negated by the long-term ecological and financial costs of . The communication calls for a holistic review of the power sector to ensure that is not undermined by an "unsubstantiated" return to coal expansion.

Comments

Modi’s Israel visit strengthened Pakistan’s hand in US–Iran truce: Ex-Indian diplomat

By Jag Jivan M. K. Bhadrakumar , a career diplomat with three decades of service in postings across the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, and Turkey, has warned that the current truce in the US–Iran war is “fragile and ridden with contradictions.” Writing in his blog India Punchline , Bhadrakumar argues that while Pakistan has emerged as a surprising broker of dialogue, the durability of the ceasefire remains uncertain.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Beneath the stone: Revisiting the New Jersey mandir controversy

By Rajiv Shah A recent report published in the British media outlet The Guardian , titled “Workers carved the largest modern Hindu temple in the west. Now, some have incurable lung disease,” took me back to my visits to the New Jersey mandir —first in 2022, when it was still under construction, though parts of it were open to visitors, and again in 2024, after its completion.

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

Ecologist Dr. S. Faizi urges UN intervention to save 35 million Gulf migrants

By A Representative Renowned ecologist and veteran United Nations negotiator Dr. S. Faizi has issued an urgent appeal to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, calling for immediate diplomatic intervention to halt escalating conflict in the Persian Gulf. In a formal letter copied to several UN missions, Faizi warned that the lives and livelihoods of 35 million migrant workers—who comprise the vast majority of the population in many Gulf cities—are facing an unprecedented existential crisis.

Search This Blog