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Power Sector: Generation, Transmission, and Distribution
2.1 Installed Generation Capacity
Rajasthan's total installed power generation capacity reached 26,325.19 MW as of December 2024 — a near-tripling from 8,430 MW in 2010-11, reflecting two decades of accelerated investment in both conventional and renewable energy.
Source: Rajasthan Economic Review 2025-26, Chapter 2
Capacity breakdown by source (December 2024):
| Source | Installed Capacity (MW) | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
| State Thermal (coal-based) | 7,830 | 29.7 |
| Hydel (hydroelectric) | 1,017 | 3.9 |
| Gas | 601 | 2.3 |
| Nuclear (share) | ~700 | 2.7 |
| Solar | 5,483 | 20.8 |
| Wind | 4,414 | 16.8 |
| Other Renewable (biomass, small hydro) | ~380 | 1.4 |
| Central Sector Allocation (share) | ~5,900 | 22.4 |
| Total | 26,325.19 | 100 |
Source: Rajasthan Economic Review 2025-26, Chapter 2, Table 2.1
Rajasthan's state-owned thermal capacity is concentrated in three clusters:
- Kota Thermal Power Station (1,240 MW) — commissioned 1983, Rajasthan's original workhorse
- Suratgarh Super Thermal Power Plant (1,500 MW expanded capacity)
- Chhabra Super Thermal Power Plant (2,320 MW) — newer supercritical 800 MW units with higher thermal efficiency
2.2 Renewable Energy: Rajasthan's Competitive Advantage
Rajasthan holds rank 1 among all Indian states in solar energy installed capacity. The state's renewable advantage derives from three natural factors:
- Solar irradiance: 6–7 kWh/m²/day across western Rajasthan — among the highest in Asia
- Wind speed: Average 6–7 m/s at 80-metre hub height in Jaisalmer, Barmer, Pali, and Ajmer
- Land availability: Vast non-agricultural Thar Desert land available at low cost through state lease mechanisms
2.3 Bhadla Solar Park — World's Largest
Bhadla Solar Park in Jodhpur district is the defining achievement. Key facts:
- Installed capacity: 2,245 MW across 14,000 acres — world's largest solar park
- Location: Jodhpur district, Thar Desert
- Developer: RRECL with Adani Renewables, Azure Power, SoftBank/SB Energy, and SECI
- Transmission: 400 kV dedicated lines to the grid
- PPA tariff: As low as ₹2.44/kWh (SECI Round 4, 2017) — demonstrating dramatic solar cost reduction
Other major solar parks in Rajasthan:
| Solar Park | District | Capacity (MW) | Developer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bhadla | Jodhpur | 2,245 | Multi (Adani, Azure, SECI) |
| Shakti Sthala | Barmer | 1,000 (target) | RRECL |
| Nokh | Jaisalmer | 925 | ReNew Power / SECI |
| Fatehgarh | Jaisalmer | 500+ | Energon |
| Ramgarh | Jaisalmer | 160 (wind+solar hybrid) | IL&FS Energy |
Source: Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Ltd. (RRECL), 2024
Wind energy: Jaisalmer district alone hosts over 1,800 MW of installed wind capacity. Rajasthan's total wind capacity of 4,414 MW (December 2024) places it among the top five wind states nationally, alongside Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
2.4 Rajasthan Integrated Clean Energy Policy 2024 and 115 GW Target
The Rajasthan Solar Energy Policy 2024 and the broader Rajasthan Renewable Energy Policy 2024 together set the framework for Rajasthan's green energy transition. Key provisions:
- Target: 115 GW renewable energy by 2029-30 (from ~10 GW in December 2024), requiring ~105 GW addition in ~6 years
- Green Hydrogen: Production target of 2,000 KTPA by 2030 using cheap renewable power as feedstock
- Land leasing: Government wasteland offered at ₹8,500–₹16,500 per acre per year depending on location
- Single-window clearance: Projects up to 50 MW cleared by RBIP; larger projects via empowered committee within 30 days
- Transmission infrastructure: ₹8,000 crore dedicated green energy corridors to evacuate power from Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and Jodhpur
- SDG 7 score: Under NITI Aayog's SDG India Index 4.0 (2023-24), Rajasthan achieved a perfect score of 100 on SDG 7 — the only large state to do so
2.5 Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure
Transmission is operated by RVPNL (Rajasthan Rajya Vidhyut Prasaran Nigam Limited). The EHV network as of 2024-25:
- Network length: 44,638 circuit km (from ~21,000 ckt. km in 2010-11 — more than doubled)
- Substations: 651 EHV substations at 765 kV, 400 kV, 220 kV, and 132 kV levels
- Transformation capacity: 99,432 MVA
Distribution is handled by three DISCOMs created after RSEB's unbundling in 2000:
- JVVNL — Jaipur and northern districts
- AVVNL — Ajmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur circles
- JDVVNL — Jodhpur and western districts
Rural electrification is a significant achievement:
- 43,965 villages and 1.14 lakh dhanis electrified
- 108.09 lakh rural households covered under SAUBHAGYA scheme and state programs
Subsidies — a major fiscal dimension:
- Agricultural power subsidy 2024-25: ₹22,755.22 crore — among India's highest (See Topic #32)
- Nishulk Bijli Yojana: 100 free units/month to domestic consumers; outlay ₹5,658 crore covering ~95.79 lakh consumers