Scope for Small Hydro Projects in India

Abstract

Energy is essential for the sustenance of life. Also energy and the economic growth of a nation are interlinked. Energy security of a country entails optimum utilization of indigenous and those sources of energy to which a nation can have access. Hydropower is an important and an economically competitive source of electricity. In India, hydro projects up to 25 MW capacities have been categorized as small hydro power projects (SHPs) and the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy (MNRE) is responsible for their construction. The technology for the SHP is fully indigenized. SHPs though economical and less environmentally degrading, suffer from cascading due to a number of plants in tandem, may result into poorer quality of water and may have hydrology impacted at the sub-basin level. India has a potential of about 20,000 MW through SHP, and as such, it has been declared as one of the thrust areas. The Ministry is encouraging the development of small hydro projects both in the public and in private sector. There are about 25 equipment manufacturers of SHP turbine in the country with estimated capacity of about 400 MW per year.