India Planning 16,500 Megawatts in Ultra-Mega Hydropower Projects

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--India's Power Ministry plans to use the successful model of the coal-fed ultra-mega power projects (UMPP) for the hydropower sector. It is estimated that the country is currently exploiting only a fraction of its hydropower potential of 150,000 megawatts (MW). Only 33,700 MW has been has been created. The hydro UMPP plan would add 16,500 MW of hydropower capacity.

A government task force has approved the scheme, and the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has formulated implementation guidelines. The National Hydro Electric Power Corporation and the CEA will be part of shell companies floated by the state's Power Finance Corporation, which would invite and finalize bids for hydro projects.

Although the entry level for thermal UMPPs was set at 4,000 MW and above, the threshold size of hydro UMPPs will be 500 MW. Projects will only qualify after all detailed project reports, regulatory, site and environmental clearances have been obtained.

Projects in line for the hydro UMPP project are Ratle (690 MW), Kwar (520 MW) and Kiru (600 MW) in Jammu; and Kashmir and Lohit (2475 MW) in Arunachal Pradesh. The detailed project reports for these projects are in hand. The next phase of bids could include Naba (100 MW), Naire (800 MW), Oju-1 (700 MW) and Oju-11 (100 MW). The Power Ministry is targeting an additional 10,000 MW of hydro capacity in the period of the 11th five-year plan (2007-12) through UMPP projects.

Power Minister Babu Singh recently said that in Jammu and Kashmir, plans are being drawn for 16,400 MW of hydropower in the river basins of the Jhelum (3560 MW), Chenab (10,360 MW), Indus (2060 MW) and Ravi (500 MW). The full potential of the region's rivers is 20,000 MW. So far only 1,869 MW has been installed. Generation is subject to high fluctuations in source flows and large companies have been hesitant to invest.

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