A committee set up by the West Bengal state government in India, to investigate the restructuring of West Bengal’s power sector, has suggested the establishment of a corporation to undertake the development of the state’s hydro power potential. According to recent estimates West Bengal’s hydro power potential is about 1786MW, with another 4000MW of pumped storage power. A decision on the setting up of the separate hydro power corporation is expected to be reached this year.
The installed hydro capacity in West Bengal is about 130MW, including the 27MW Jaldhaka stage 1, the 8MW Jaldhaka stage 2, the 51MW Rammam stage 2, and the 4MW Massanjor project. Among the ongoing hydro projects are the 67.5MW Teesta Canal Falls project, the 3MW Mungpo-Kalikhola project, the 900MW Purulia pumped storage project and the 3MW Lodhama small hydro plant In addition to the 973.5MW of ongoing projects, reports have been prepared for projects with a capacity of another 108.9MW.
Another 2880MW of projects are under investigation. These are the 325 MW Teesta dam project, the 86MW Raidak project, the 38MW Torsha project, the next stages of the Purulia pumped storage project, and 38 mini and micro hydro projects with a total capacity 30.76MW.