65 GW of New Generating Capacity Scheduled Worldwide by 2005

Abstract

Projected electric capacity additions worldwide from 1996-2005
are es timat ed to be around 665 gigawatts (GW), of which 58% is in
Asi a , according to Utility Data Institute (UDD. Assuming an av erag e
install ed cost of $1,000 per kilowatt (kW), construction of this new
capacit y will require a worldwide investment on the order of $700
billion . An additional 589 GW of power plants with service dates aft er
2005 or still in th e planning stages have been identified.
The fourth edition of the World Directory of New Electric Power
Plant s contain s information on 7,481 projected generating units at
3,857 plant sites : these facilities are owned by 725 utilities , 657 in-
du str ial autoproducers, 722 "pr iva t e power " companies , and 76
unid entified organizations . Generating units in the data ba se have
comm ercial service dates out past 2015.
The "new plant " data published in this directory reflect a cons er-
vat ive, "bott oms -u p" research approach. Although new power pl ant s
will lik ely be added beyond those currently "in the pipeline," som e of
th e facilities currently planned by utilities or autoproducers ma y be
def err ed or canceled. It should also be noted that many small genera-
tor s-IC engines , wind turbines , minihydro, etc .-are being ord ered ,
bu t th eir aggregate capacity is small in comparison to large central
st at ion hydro and thermal plants .