India's Power Ministry targets a 26.3 GW demand spike from AI data centres by FY32. The load is served mostly by renewables as the grid plans 105 GW of coal.
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India's grid faces a 26.3 gigawatt demand projection from AI data centres by the financial year ending March 2032, the Power Ministry told parliament Tuesday. The load will be "primarily served by renewable energy capacity," Minister of State for Power Shripad Yesso Naik said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
The projection comes from the Central Electricity Authority's five-year electric power survey. Total installed generation capacity by 2031-32 is expected to reach 874 GW under the National Electricity Plan. The transmission system buildout carries an estimated price tag of ₹9,16,142 crore over the current decade, Naik added.
The 26.3 GW figure aims to meet infrastructure needs of global technology firms expanding AI capacity. Apple (AAPL) runs iCloud and AI workloads on data centres and has made a 2030 carbon neutrality commitment across its supply chain. India's plan to source the 26.3 GW AI load primarily from renewables matches the energy sourcing demands of those tenants.
The renewable emphasis is paired with a broader expansion of thermal power to support grid stability. The projected coal and lignite capacity requirement by March 2036 stands at roughly 315 GW, up from 212 GW installed as of March 2023. To meet that, the ministry envisages setting up at least 105 GW of new coal- and lignite-based capacity.
Of that thermal target, about 21,080 MW has been commissioned since April 2023 through June 2026. Another 47,545 MW is under construction, including 4,845 MW of stressed projects. Contracts for 16,000 MW have been awarded and await construction, Naik said.
Grid modernisation measures in the plan include battery energy storage systems and static synchronous compensators. Synchronous condensers are under consideration for voltage support, the minister said.
The government projections create a clear pipeline for power sector capital expenditure. The ₹9 lakh crore transmission spend alone provides revenue visibility for grid operators covering the plan period.
The 26.3 GW assumption sits inside the Electric Power Survey cycle. The next five-year survey will revisit the figure against actual data centre buildout and renewable capacity additions.
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