NHPC to soon finalise JV for 3 projects in Orissa

The country's largest hydro power producer NHPC will soon finalise a joint venture with the Orissa government for setting up three hydel projects having a total capacity of 300 MW in the state.

The three proposed hydro power projects would come up at Sindol, near Dhenkanal.

"We are in discussions with the Orissa government for a joint venture and things are expected to be finalised very soon, probably in a one month's time," NHPC CMD A B L Srivastava told PTI.

NHPC would have a 51% stake in the joint venture, while the remaining 49% would be with the Orissa government.

"The three projects (would have) a total capacity of about 300 MW," he said.

Going by estimates, Orissa has hydro power generation capacity of over 2,000 MW, with contributions from plants at Hirakud, Balimela, Rengali, Upper Kolab, Upper Indravati and Macchkund.

Meanwhile, NHPC is also looking at expanding its presence into other states, including Uttarakhand.

"We are expecting to get more projects from other states, including Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh," Srivastava said.

The state-run entity has an installed capacity of about 5,300 MW and is planning to add around 700 MW by commissioning five projects by March, 2012.

Presently, NHPC is engaged in the construction of ten projects, having a total capacity of 4,502 MW.  The upcoming projects are Chutak (44 MW), Uri-II (240 MW), Chamera-III (231 MW), the first unit of Parbati-III (130 MW) and Nimmo-Bazgo (45 MW).