In a first, Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy RK Singh told Moneycontrol that the Indian government plans to double the country's hydropower capacity.
Delivering the keynote address at Moneycontrol's Policy Next summit, Singh said India's hydropower capacity will be increased from 47,000 megawatt (MW) to at least 90,000 (MW). "When I joined, India's hydroelectric generation capacity was moribund. It had no growth. We re-started it. Now we have about 47,000 MW installed hydropower capacity," he said.
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Hydropower constitutes only 11 percent of India's total installed power generation capacity as of date. In 1962-63, hydropower made up 52.78 percent of India's entire installed capacity, according to CEA data seen by Moneycontrol. Hydropower is considered a nearly clean energy source. Although it has some greenhouse gas emissions, it is far lower than the power generated through coal-fired plants.
The Union minister informed that another 18,000 MW of hydro projects are under construction and 13,000 MW are under various surveys and investigations.
"This existing 47,000 MW, I am going to double. India's hydropower capacity will touch 90,000 MW to 100,000 MW," Singh said.
While projects totalling 31,000 MW are under the pipeline, the minister did not give clarity on the remaining 12,000 MW-22,000 MW for doubling India's hydro capacity. However, senior officials in the power ministry said potential sites have been identified for the remaining quantum.
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In FY25, the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower project, under construction in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, is likely to be fully commissioned by December. Besides, two units of the delayed Parbati-II project in Himachal Pradesh will start operations in April.
The fate of the Tapovan Vishnugad project, stalled due to the land subsidence in Joshimath, is also likely to be decided by the courts this year. A few other smaller hydropower projects are also likely to be commissioned.
Another marquee project of the government is the 2,880 MW Dibang multi-purpose hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh, which has been delayed by at least a decade. Now scheduled for commissioning in 2032, the Dibang project will be the biggest hydropower project in India once ready. It will also have the tallest dam in India with a height of about 288 metres.
The 1,920 MW Koyna project of the Maharashtra government is the largest completed hydroelectric project in India.
Apart from ensuring energy security through renewables, India is looking at increasing its hydropower capacity in the Northeast region because of geopolitical reasons. China is on a mega dam construction spree on the stretches of Brahmaputra, called Yarlung Tsangpo there, which passes through its territory. As per government data, the Brahmaputra alone can meet 40 percent of India’s hydropower potential.
The North has 19,696.3 MW installed hydropower capacity, the highest among all regions. At 2,027 MW, the North East has the lowest hydropower capacity. The South has 9,741.6 MW in operation, while the West has 5,552 MW. The East has 5,087.8 MW.
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