#gaspower

Power generation capacity utilisation across India’s generation fleet showed wide fuel-wise variation on 2 June 2026. CEA Sub-Report 16 recorded the coal-based fleet at 90.57% utilisation relative to online capacity, with 1,81,874MW net generation from 2,22,698MW monitored capacity. Power generation capacity from lignite was also strong, with the 6,620MW fleet performing at 89.18%. The weak spot was gas and liquid-fuel capacity, where utilisation stood at only 61.63% of capacity on line against 20,122MW monitored capacity. Nuclear availability stood at 86.45% of online capacity, with 7,071MW net, while hydro achieved 84.87% with 35,609MW net of 41,957MW online. EnergylineIndia.com highlights this update for readers tracking News on Indian power sector and Central Electricity Authority reports. Power generation capacity is often misunderstood when assessed only through installed or monitored MW. Online availability and utilisation show the real system contribution. This report matters for grid operators, discom procurement teams, fuel planners and traders. Power generation capacity data from 2 June shows coal and lignite providing strong operational support. Power generation capacity from gas remained structurally weak despite its flexibility value, Power Generation Capacity, Coal Generation, Gas Power, Power Plant.

Gas based power projects are increasingly shaped by allocation and tariff mechanics rather than competitive market behaviour. Recent filings show that within the same regional grid, one station can remain largely on domestic gas while another relies almost entirely on imported supply. The heat content is comparable. The landed cost is not. This gap alone is enough to change dispatch outcomes.

In market-based dispatch, fuel cost establishes merit order. Gas based power projects carrying imported gas economics face reduced clearing probability even before technical parameters are considered. They are not inefficient assets. They are pre-disadvantaged bidders. Once placed outside the protected allocation ring, merit order relevance weakens materially.

Transport pricing reinforces this imbalance. The unified pipeline tariff pools thousands of kilometres of infrastructure into an averaged recovery model. Yet distance-based pricing continues to apply to power generators. Households and priority consumers are charged a uniform nearby tariff regardless of physical distance. Gas based power projects remain exposed to transport cost signals that others do not face.

This structure does not reduce system cost. It redistributes it. Under-utilised and strategic pipelines survive through pooling, while non-priority consumers absorb the residual. Gas based power projects thus absorb both fuel-side and transport-side pressures simultaneously.

For analysts following Power tariff analysis India and State electricity tariffs, the documents reveal a policy-engineered affordability framework. Costs are not eliminated. They are reassigned. EnergylineIndia.com tracks how these mechanics reshape gas-fired generation economics using verified filings and regulatory orders, Gas Power, Merit Order, Energy Markets, Tariff Policy.

Rajasthan Signals India’s Next-Phase Grid Strategy

Rajasthan’s latest Merit Order Dispatch data leaves no ambiguity: gas-based and liquid-fuelled stations remain at the top of the tariff ladder. They are deployed not because they are cheapest, but because they offer the response speed and reliability the grid needs when solar fades and coal can’t ramp fast enough.

The Storage Mandate: A Structural Pivot

The state’s Green Energy Open Access order adds a measurable shift in supply behaviour. The new requirements include:

RE projects above 5 MW must pair 5% storage for 2-hour discharge

Captive RE beyond contracted demand must store 20% incremental energy

Charging aligned to solar hours

Mandatory evening peak discharge under SLDC directions

This is more than an administrative tweak. It clearly signals where the Indian flexibility ecosystem is moving.

Rajasthan Isn’t the Outlier

Every high-solar state is heading toward the same curve:

Solar cuts midday demand on thermal fleet

Evening ramp intensifies

Gas acts as early stabilizer

Rajasthan’s action simply formalizes the shift: batteries will increasingly take the first hour after sunset, pushing gas into a more selective role.

Where Gas Still Matters

Gas-based generation doesn’t vanish — it evolves. It will be dispatched when:

the peak stretches beyond two hours

solar loss is sharper than expected

transmission constraints block cheaper power

unpredictable events disrupt supply

Gas stays relevant — but its role becomes strategic rather than routine.

The National Pattern

Across India, three factors are converging: ConditionStatusSolar growthAcceleratingEvening rampVisible nationwideStorage-linked policiesBecoming mainstream

The system is moving from gas as energy to gas as flexibility.

The Strategic Shift

Gas doesn’t exit the grid — it moves up the value ladder:

Fewer running hours

Higher value per hour

Shift from energy revenues to flexibility revenues

This is not a phase-out. It’s a role transformation.

India is not replacing gas. India is concentrating its purpose.

By Florina Grivei, M.A.R.S.A.T. S.A., Romania

The energy landscape is, perhaps more than ever, a dynamic and multifaceted realm. When we talk about the future of energy, it’s not a singular, easily defined path, but rather a complex interplay of evolving technologies, geopolitical shifts, economic realities, and, crucially, environmental imperatives. While headlines often focus on the rapid growth of renewables, traditional sources like natural gas and coal, alongside the burgeoning solar sector, continue to shape our present and will undoubtedly influence our future. For M.A.R.S.A.T. S.A. in Romania, understanding these trends and adapting our engineering expertise to them is fundamental to our role in powering industries.

Let’s consider natural gas, for a moment. It's often viewed as a crucial "bridge fuel" in the transition away from more carbon-intensive sources like coal. Gas-fired power plants are, you see, significantly more flexible than coal plants; they can ramp up and down quickly, making them ideal for balancing the intermittency of renewable energy sources like wind and solar. The trend here is towards highly efficient combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT), which capture waste heat to generate additional electricity, significantly reducing emissions per unit of power. We’re seeing continued investment in new gas capacity, particularly in regions phasing out coal, and also in modernizing existing plants to improve their efficiency and reduce their environmental footprint. Our work on projects like the Lausward Gas Powerplant in Germany exemplifies this trend towards high-efficiency gas generation.

Then there’s coal. The role of coal is, admittedly, undergoing a significant global shift. Many developed nations are actively phasing it out due to its higher carbon emissions. However, in other parts of the world, particularly in rapidly industrializing economies, coal remains a critical, often abundant, and relatively inexpensive source of baseload power. The trend here, where coal is still utilized, is a strong emphasis on cleaner coal technologies, such as advanced desulfurization systems and other emission controls. While the global share of coal in the energy mix may be declining, its complete disappearance is unlikely in the near to medium term, and ensuring its cleaner use remains an engineering challenge that we, at M.A.R.S.A.T. S.A., contribute to.

And finally, solar power, a truly revolutionary force. The trajectory of solar energy, primarily photovoltaic (PV) systems, has been nothing short of astonishing. Costs have plummeted, efficiency has soared, and deployment is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. The trend here is multi-faceted: utility-scale solar farms are becoming gigawatt-sized powerhouses, distributed generation (rooftop solar) is empowering consumers and businesses, and energy storage solutions (batteries) are increasingly being integrated to address solar’s inherent intermittency. Solar is no longer a niche player; it’s a mainstream, competitive energy source driving significant investment and innovation. Our investment in designing and installing advanced PV systems for various clients in Romania and beyond reflects our conviction in its future.

The future of energy, then, isn't about one source completely replacing another overnight. It's about a complex, dynamic interplay. It involves integrating flexible gas plants to support renewables, ensuring cleaner operation of essential coal infrastructure where it still exists, and, most powerfully, scaling up solar and other renewables with intelligent grid solutions and energy storage. Our role as engineers, at M.A.R.S.A.T. S.A., is to provide the electrical infrastructure, automation, and modernization expertise that makes this transition possible and efficient, across all these energy sources.

This deep engagement in the evolving energy mix positions us squarely at the forefront of the industry, a position that gains us external recognition. It fills us with immense pride, for example, that M.A.R.S.A.T. S.A., from Romania, has been nominated for the prestigious 2025 Go Global Awards. This rather significant event, hosted by the International Trade Council, will be taking place in London on the 18th – 19th November 2025. It’s so much more than just an awards program, you see; it’s truly a conclave of the best minds in business globally. It’s an invaluable opportunity to connect with peers, to foster new collaborations, and, crucially, to identify and seize new opportunities in a rapidly evolving world. To be part of such a distinguished gathering, to stand among those who are, in many ways, shaping the future of global enterprise, is, frankly, an honor that underscores our vital role across the energy spectrum.