New Delhi, Sep 10 - The power sector will continue to be largely dependant on coal-based thermal power plants to meet its energy needs for the next 15-20 years, Power Secretary H.S. Brahma said Thursday.

'The future of power sector will be largely dependant on coal supplies, at least for the next 15-20 years,' Brahma said in his address at the India Electricity 2009, a conference on the power sector organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

The official said coal companies should ramp up production if the country had to come anywhere close to the 11th Five-Year Plan target of generating 78,000 MW by 2012.

'Unless you develop the capabilities of the coal producing companies, it will be extremely difficult to achieve the target of providing power to all by 2012,' said Brahma.

He also confessed to not being certain if other sources of electricity generation would be able to bridge the demand-supply gap.

'All other sectors, including nuclear energy, won't be enough.'