Developing Countries & Global Climate Change: Electric Power
Options in India Prepared for the Pew Center on Global Climate
Change P.R. Shukla, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
William Chandler, Battelle, Advanced International Studies Unit
Debyani Ghosh, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad Jeffrey
Logan, Battelle, Advanced International Studies Unit Eileen
Claussen, Executive Director, Pew Center on Global Climate
Change The electric power sector in India is characterized by
low per capita energy use, rapid growth in demand, heavy losses
in transmission and distribution, and tariffs well below average
costs. Coal dominates usage, which combined with hydropower
represents 85 percent of generated power. The power sector is
responsible for half of India's carbon dioxide emissions, which
were 92 million tons in 1995. Even with the prospect of market
and industrial reforms, the 'business-as-usual' path for India
in 2015 increases both generating capacity and carbon dioxide
emissions by around 150 p