India energy mix & electricity
Power plants in India produced 2.08 PWh of electricity in 2025. Coal dominates the mix with 70.8%, followed by solar power at 9.4% and hydropower at 8.6%.
Electricity generation by source in 2025
Share of electricity generation by source, with the change in percentage points over the last ten years.
| Source | TWh | Share | 10-yr Δ pp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,474 | 70.8% | −6 |
| Solar | 196 | 9.4% | +8.9 |
| Hydro | 178 | 8.6% | −1.6 |
| Wind | 104 | 5% | +2.5 |
| Nuclear | 53.83 | 2.6% | −0.3 |
| Gas | 48.54 | 2.3% | −2.6 |
| Bioenergy | 23.04 | 1.1% | −0.3 |
| Oil | 4.1 | 0.2% | −0.5 |
| Total | 2,082 | 100% |
India: electricity in context
Power plants in India produced 2.08 PWh of electricity in 2025. That is about 6.6% of the world total. Coal dominates the mix with 70.8%, followed by solar power at 9.4% and hydropower at 8.6%.
The renewable share stood at 24.1%, placing India 98th of 158 ranked countries. That is 10 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for Asia (27.3%). Generating one kWh emits about 670 g CO₂e here (world average: 458 g). This is one of the more carbon-intensive grids in the world. In the cleanest-grid ranking, India is 140th of 158.
Since 2015, coal has added the most generation in absolute terms (+468 TWh), yet its share of the mix fell by 6 percentage points because other sources grew even faster. In share terms the biggest gainer was solar power (up 8.9 percentage points). The net effect: renewables gained 9.4 percentage points of share since 2015. Total generation grew by 771 TWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 751 to 670 g/kWh, a 11% cut.
The coal phase-down is well under way: 76.8% of generation in 2015, 70.8% by 2025.
Solar (9.4%) and wind (5%) now add up to 14.4% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 134 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh. Wind adds 71 kWh per person. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2017.
Generation per person is 1,422 kWh a year, 37% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. Imports and exports roughly cancel out.
How the power mix has changed
Electricity generation by source since 1985. Switch to shares to see the structural shift independent of demand growth.
Renewables and carbon intensity
India against the world and Asia averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Renewables supply 9.1% of primary energy and fossil fuels 89.7% (2024). Per person, that is 7,813 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Substitution method: non-fossil electricity is converted to the primary energy a fossil plant would have needed.
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in India
The 1,589 power plants recorded in India add up to 316.1 GW of capacity, 65% of it Coal. The largest is VINDH_CHAL STPS at 4,760 MW. The database was last updated in 2021, so newer wind and solar farms and rooftop PV are under-represented.
Largest power plants
| # | Plant | Fuel | Capacity MW | Commissioned | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VINDH_CHAL STPS | Coal | 4,760 | 2002 | — |
| 2 | MUNDRA TPP | Coal | 4,620 | 2010 | — |
| 3 | MUNDRA UMPP | Coal | 4,000 | 2012 | — |
| 4 | SASAN UMPP | Coal | 3,960 | 2013 | — |
| 5 | TIRORA TPP | Coal | 3,300 | 2013 | — |
| 6 | RIHAND | Coal | 3,000 | 2002 | — |
| 7 | TALCHER STPS | Coal | 3,000 | 2001 | — |
| 8 | SIPAT STPS | Coal | 2,980 | 2010 | — |
| 9 | CHANDRAPUR_Coal | Coal | 2,920 | 1999 | — |
| 10 | ANPARA | Coal | 2,630 | 2000 | — |
| 11 | KORBA STPS | Coal | 2,600 | 1991 | — |
| 12 | R_GUNDEM STPS | Coal | 2,600 | 1990 | — |
| 13 | Shri Singaji MALWA TPP | Coal | 2,520 | 2016 | — |
| 14 | KORADI | Coal | 2,400 | 2009 | — |
| 15 | KUDGI | Coal | 2,400 | 2017 | — |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 1,589 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: India
5,168 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 98.5 GW of solar and 38.8 GW of wind operating, plus 244 GW under construction or planned.
How does India compare?
India next to 6 neighbouring countries, plus regional and world averages. Click a column to sort; use “Compare” for full side-by-side charts.
| Country | Renewable % | Low-carbon % | Fossil % | gCO₂/kWh | kWh / person | Generation TWh | Mix | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 24.1% | 26.7% | 73.3% | 670 | 1,422 | 2,082 | — | |
| Nepal | 100% | 100% | 0% | 24 | 375 | 11.1 | Compare | |
| Pakistan | 42.7% | 54.9% | 45.1% | 347 | 764 | 195 | Compare | |
| Bangladesh | 2.1% | 2.1% | 97.9% | 696 | 589 | 103 | Compare | |
| Bhutan | 100% | 100% | 0% | 24 | 13,897 | 11 | Compare | |
| Myanmar | 47.9% | 47.9% | 52.1% | 503 | 398 | 21.7 | Compare | |
| China | 37% | 41.7% | 58.3% | 525 | 7,474 | 10,583 | Compare | |
| Asia average | 27.3% | 32.1% | 67.9% | 573 | 3,749 | 18,015 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for India
India energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in India is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in India?
How clean is the electricity in India?
Does India use nuclear power?
How much electricity does India use per person?
How much solar power does India produce?
Does India import electricity?
More countries in Asia
Sources & references
- Our World in Data: Energy dataset (CC BY 4.0) — compiled from the sources below
- Ember: Yearly Electricity Data — generation, shares, carbon intensity
- Energy Institute: Statistical Review of World Energy — primary energy, fossil production
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: International Energy Data — gap-filling for smaller countries
- World Resources Institute: Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0) — power plant locations and capacity
Electricity data: Ember and Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0); latest year 2025. Power plants: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). Rankings exclude systems under 1 TWh and values older than 2020. Figures may be revised by the original publishers.