The young state of Uttaranchal has been quick to tap hydro power having initiated projects to capture half the assessed potential of 20,000 mw in the state. Uttaranchal, carved out of Uttar Pradesh in 2000, has projects on most of its tributaries that merge to form the river Ganges.
The ongoing and proposed projects comprise projects being developed by the state utility, the central PSUs and IPPs. Currently, Uttaranchal generates 1,400 mw of which 1,000 mw is generated by Uttaranchal Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd, and another 400 mw by NTPC. Efforts to get the power supply go alongside the state's efforts in attracting some of the big names in Indian industry like Hindustan Lever, Mahindra & Mahindra and Dabur India. GDP of the state, which had been growing at an average of 3.4 per cent between 1993 and 2001, is already in the 10 per cent growth now.
"We hope to add another 1,704 mw this year which includes Tehri I, which should start generation on June 20, and should reach full 1,000-mw capacity by October," says N. Ravishankar, Principal Secretary, Energy, Uttaranchal. The 400-mw Vishnuprayag project by Jaiprakash group will start its first unit of 100 mw on June 15 and will add one unit each in the following months. Third is the 304-mw Maneri Bali Stage-II of UJVNL which is expected to start generation by December 2006.
Ravishankar says that during 2007-12 another 4,500 mw is likely to be added and 5,500 mw in the 12th plan period. Among the projects awarded to the IPPs is the recent Rs 1,700 crore, 340-mw project that went to Reliance Energy, on the Urthing Sobla in Pithogarh district on Kali river. Two more projects in the same district were given to GVK group last year - 200-mw Mapang Bougdier and 170-mw Bougdier Sirkiri Bhyol -on BOOT basis. GMR group is executing the 140-mw power project on Alakananda, five km downstream from Badrinath.
The Srinagar project, which was originally with Tata Power, was transferred to GVK Hydro which conducted its first blast on May 5 this year. The project is expected to produce 330 mw by 2010, says Ravishankar.
Among the central PSUs, NTPC has taken up two projects, namely the 520-mw Tapovan Vishnugad on Dhauliganga river and the 600-mw Loharinag Pala on Bhagirathi. NTPC Hydro has taken up a 120-mw project upstream Tapovan Vishnugad.
All the projects are being awarded on the basis of Government of India's stated hydro power policy wherein the state gets a free power royalty of 12 per cent from all the projects. For Uttaranchal, which is spread across the hilly Himalayan terrain, hydro power is a major source of revenue. "On an annualised basis Uttaranchal is power surplus, surplus during the summer and monsoon months, and a little deficient during the winter months. But, by the end of 2007, when the additional 1,704 mw starts feeding the grid we will be surplus," Ravishankar says.
To meet the evacuation needs of all the projects that would be developed till 2011, the state has taken up a transmission network project. The Rs 300 million integrated network project has been approved for funding by the Asian Development Bank.
Unlike the controversial Tehri hydro power project, which has resulted in submergence of Tehri town as well as several villages, all the other projects mentioned here are run-of-the-river projects. "Because they are all run-of-the-river projects the environmental impact and resettlement are negligible. Anyway all our projects have R&R policy in line with the national policy and all the forest land acquisition has to go through state forest clearance," Ravishankar adds. But the projects pose an engineering challenge to the promoters as this range falls under seismic zone V.