Installed Capacity of Power in India from 2004 to 2023, by State

India’s power installation capacity has demonstrated remarkable growth over the past two decades, with total installed capacity more than tripling from 120,514 megawatts in 2004-05 to 416,059 megawatts in 2022-23. This growth trajectory reflects India’s commitment to expanding its power infrastructure to meet increasing energy demands and support economic development.

Several states have emerged as power generation powerhouses. Gujarat leads in growth and absolute capacity, showing an impressive increase from 9,291 megawatts in 2004-05 to 45,913 megawatts in 2022-23, representing nearly a five-fold increase. This remarkable growth aligns with Gujarat’s industrial development and economic expansion. Maharashtra consistently maintained its position as one of the largest power generators, growing from 15,669 to 45,546 megawatts, while Tamil Nadu showed steady growth from 11,493 to 37,514 megawatts.

The creation of Telangana as a separate state in 2014 is reflected in the data, with the state starting to report separate figures from 2014-15 with 9,470 megawatts, growing to 18,066 megawatts by 2022-23. This split also explains the apparent drop in Andhra Pradesh’s capacity around the same period, though both states have shown strong growth individually since then.

There’s a notable disparity between larger and smaller states/union territories. While states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu have tens of thousands of megawatts, several northeastern states like Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland maintain capacities below 300 megawatts. This disparity reflects differences in industrialization, population density, and regional economic development.

Some states have shown particularly dramatic growth spurts. Rajasthan’s capacity increased significantly from 7,607 megawatts in 2004-05 to 38,999 megawatts in 2022-23, with robust growth in recent years. Given its geographical advantages, this might be attributed to the state’s push toward renewable energy, especially solar power.

Despite their large populations, the northern states of Uttar and Bihar show different growth patterns. UP’s capacity grew steadily from 8,182 to 29,912 megawatts, while Bihar, starting from a lower base of 1,644 megawatts, reached 7,555 megawatts by 2022-23, suggesting room for further growth to meet its population’s needs.

Union Territories generally maintained relatively small but stable capacities, with Delhi being a notable exception. The capital territory increased its capacity from 3,426 to 6,893 megawatts, showing some fluctuations in recent years.

The data also reveals interesting regional patterns. Southern states (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala) collectively maintain a robust power infrastructure. The western region, led by Gujarat and Maharashtra, shows the highest concentration of power capacity. While showing growth, the eastern region generally maintains lower capacity levels compared to its western and southern counterparts.

Most significantly, the overall national trend shows growth and accelerated growth rates in many periods, with the total installed capacity addition picking up pace, particularly after 2010. This reflects India’s increasing energy demands, growing industrialization, and the government’s focus on power sector development, including renewable energy initiatives in recent years.