{"id":77918,"date":"2026-06-27T18:02:21","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T12:32:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=77918"},"modified":"2026-06-27T18:03:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T12:33:48","slug":"gas-based-power-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/27-06-2026\/gas-based-power-india","title":{"rendered":"India&#8217;s Gas-Based Power Push Amid Renewable Expansion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Energy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Grid Controller of India (Grid India)<\/strong> has advised gas-based power stations to plan fuel procurement arrangements, anticipating the need for additional gas-fired generation for coming days.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is Gas-Based Power?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Gas-based power plants generate <strong>electricity using Natural Gas or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They primarily operate through <strong>Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) technology, <\/strong>which offers faster start-up than coal plants, higher operational flexibility, and lower carbon emissions than coal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"d6c08f\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"630\" height=\"237\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-225.png\" alt=\"gas-based power\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-77919\" style=\"--dominant-color: #d6c08f; width:565px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-225.png 630w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-225-300x113.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India&#8217;s Energy Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India has <strong>achieved over 50% <\/strong>of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources, well ahead of its <strong>2030 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) target.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As per IRENA RE Statistics 2025, globally,<strong> India stands 3rd in Solar Power <\/strong>installed capacity, <strong>4th in Wind Power <\/strong>capacity and <strong>4th in total Renewable Energy<\/strong> capacity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Coal-based thermal power <\/strong>remains the grid&#8217;s mainstay, meeting <strong>over two-thirds of total peak demand.<\/strong> However, this share retracted to<strong> 57 per cent<\/strong> during solar hours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"aebebe\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"504\" height=\"398\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-226.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-77920\" style=\"--dominant-color: #aebebe; width:438px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-226.png 504w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-226-300x237.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 504px) 100vw, 504px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Does India Still Need Gas-Based Power?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Cleaner Energy Source: <\/strong>Gas-based power generation emits fewer pollutants compared to coal-based power plants, making it a cleaner option.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Less Hydropower Generation: <\/strong>The India Meteorological Department has forecast below-normal rainfall in this monsoon. This will eventually reduce inflows into reservoirs, limiting hydroelectric power generation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Intermittent nature of Renewable Energy:<\/strong> Solar power generation falls after sunset, while wind generation is also variable. However electricity demand continues throughout the day and peaks in the evening.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Grid Balancing: <\/strong>Gas-based power plants can start and ramp up quickly, making them suitable for balancing variable renewable energy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rapid Deployment: <\/strong>Gas-based power plants can be <strong>constructed relatively quickly <\/strong>compared to large-scale coal or nuclear plants.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges of Gas-Based Power<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Import of Natural Gas: <\/strong>India has <strong>limited domestic natural gas reserves<\/strong>, and the majority of its consumption is met through\u00a0 <strong>imported natural gas, primarily from countries like Qatar, Australia, and the United States.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Infrastructure Constraints: <\/strong>The development of infrastructure, including pipelines, LNG terminals, and city gas distribution networks, is essential for the efficient transportation and distribution of natural gas.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>However, the expansion of infrastructure in India has been hampered by factors such as <strong>land acquisition issues, regulatory hurdles, and funding constraints.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Environmental Concerns: <\/strong>While natural gas is considered a cleaner alternative to coal and oil, its <strong>extraction, transportation, and combustion still produce greenhouse gas emissions.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Low Plant Utilisation: <\/strong>Many gas-based plants remain underutilised because of expensive fuel and limited domestic gas availability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Government Initiatives to Increase Gas Based Energy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Infrastructure Development: <\/strong>As of June 2025, about 25,429 km of natural gas pipelines are operational, while 10,459 km are under various stages of construction.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Gas Grid (&#8220;One Nation, One Gas Grid&#8221;):<\/strong> It is the expansion of the pipeline network to connect all states and transport natural gas safely and economically.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga (PMUG):<\/strong> The Jagdishpur\u2013Haldia\u2013Bokaro\u2013Dhamra\u2013 Barauni\u2013Guwahati natural gas pipeline) stretches <strong>3,546 km<\/strong>, across <strong>6 states<\/strong> (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and Assam) to bring cleaner fuel to Eastern India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>City Gas Distribution (CGD) Network Expansion:<\/strong> The government has been promoting the expansion of CGD networks across India to increase access to piped natural gas (PNG) for households, industries, and commercial establishments.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Under the CGD bidding rounds, licenses are awarded to entities for developing CGD networks in geographical areas identified by the <strong>Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gas Price Rationalization:<\/strong> Reforms such as the New Domestic Gas Pricing Guidelines (2014) and the introduction of the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) have aimed to provide <strong>pricing incentives for domestic gas producers while balancing the interests of consumers.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Natural Gas Infrastructure Development Fund (NGIDF): <\/strong>The government has set up the NGIDF to provide financial support for the development of natural gas infrastructure in India.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS): <\/strong>Accelerate deployment of grid-scale battery storage through supportive policies and financial incentives to provide reliable balancing and peak-hour support.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expand Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs):<\/strong> Fast-track the development of pumped hydro storage as a cost-effective long-duration energy storage solution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI),<\/strong> machine learning, and digital grid management tools to improve renewable energy forecasting and optimise scheduling.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Transmission infrastructure:<\/strong> Accelerate the expansion of<strong> Green Energy Corridors <\/strong>and interstate transmission networks to transmit renewable power from resource-rich regions to demand centres.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Concluding remarks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India&#8217;s energy transition is no longer only about installing more solar panels and wind turbines but it is about ensuring that clean electricity is available whenever consumers need it.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Until <strong>large-scale energy storage and smart grid technologies<\/strong> become widespread, gas-based power will remain an essential balancing resource.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-economics\/why-grid-india-is-turning-to-more-gas-based-power-10755956\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.business-standard.com\/industry\/news\/why-adding-more-solar-and-wind-energy-doesn-t-eliminate-the-need-for-gas-126062500690_1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>BS<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mospi.gov.in\/sites\/default\/files\/publication_reports\/Energy_Statistics_2025\/Energy%20Statistics%20India%202025_27032025.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>MOSPI<\/strong><\/a><strong>, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/iced.niti.gov.in\/energy\/electricity\/generation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>NITI AAYOG<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The Grid Controller of India (Grid India) has advised gas-based power stations to plan fuel procurement arrangements, anticipating the need for additional gas-fired generation for coming days. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> What is Gas-Based Power? <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Gas-based power plants generate electricity using Natural Gas or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> They primarily operate through Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) technology, which offers faster start-up than coal plants, higher operational flexibility, and lower carbon emissions than coal. <\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/27-06-2026\/gas-based-power-india \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-77918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77918"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77918\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77924,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77918\/revisions\/77924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}