In a recent hydro power conference, India’s Union Power Ministry expressed its concern about the low share of hydropower in the country’s total power generation and called for increased participation from states and private players.
Power Secretary R.V. Shahi said that although central public sector undertakings like NHPC, NEEPCO and NTPC are working on various projects, more private players should come forward.
According to New Kerala, the Power Secretary said that the Central Electricity Authority has identified 162 projects with a total capacity of 50,000MW and their preliminary feasibility reports has been completed.
Seventy-three projects with a total capacity of 34,000MW and tariff less than 5 cents per unit have been taken up for preparing the DPRs, he added, going on to say that all the DPRs were expected to be complete within the next two years.
In a move that will please the Power Secretary, Shri Vilas Muttemwar, Minister of State for Non-Conventional Energy Sources, announced in a press release on Friday that his Ministry has formulated a scheme to increase the number of small hydro projects in India.
Under the scheme the Minister is giving subsidy for the installation of small hydro projects in both the government and private sectors. So far, 522 projects totalling 1750MW have been set up and 205 projects totalling 479MW are under implementation.
The highest number of projects already set up are in the State of Uttaranchal (75) with a capacity of 72.45MW, while Karnataka accounts for the highest capacity build up of 276.78MW through 49 small hydro projects. In terms of numbers Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh with 57 each and with a capacity of 178.81MW and 33.80MW respectively fall in the joint second place. Whereas in terms of the highest capacity build up, the states of Madhya Pradesh with 207.08MW and Andhra Pradesh with 178.81MW are in the second and third position respectively.