CENTRAL PSUs TO OFFER ASSISTANCE TO STATES FOR EXECUTION OF VIABLE
SMALL HYDRO PROJECTS
It has been decided that Central PSUs like NHPC,
N EEPCO, THDC, NTPC and BBNB would offer assistance to States
for undertaking execution of viable small hydro projects. This
was decided at a meeting convened by the Minister of Power, Shri
Suresh Prabhu, here today which was attended by the Minister of
State (Independent Charge) for Non-Conventional Energy Sources,
Shri M. Kannappan, Secretary, Power, Secretary MNES, Secretary,
Water Resources and CMDs of all CPSUs of the Power Ministry as
well as Chairman, CEA.
It was decided that all State Government
would be advised by the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources
to announce their policies for small hydro development. The CPSUs
identified as specialised executing agencies in execution of small
hydro projects, would liaise with State Governments and work out
feasibility of all identified small hydro projects within three
months. Wherever possible, the involvement of local community
would also be enlisted for utilization of energy generated from
these projects. Local communities would also be encouraged to
take up the operation of generating and distribution systems.
In view of view of the environmentally benign
nature of small hydro projects, it was decided to involve all
the power CPSUs in assisting the States in developing the balance
small hydro potential. It was felt that small hydro projects would
be good candidates for assistance under Clean Development Mechanism
(CDM) and would also be helpful in rural electrification for remote
and difficult villages, besides serving as focal points for distributed
or decentralized generation.
The NEEPCO has carried out a comprehensive
study of mini, micro and small hydro projects in the North Eastern
region. The States are being contacted to identify the number
of villages which could benefit from the execution of this programme.
The Minister of Power, Shri Suresh P. Prabhu, was keen that the
local communities be identified and involved for village electrification
programme in the North East.
In States having vast irrigation networks
the possibility of exploiting canal drops for development of small
hydro was also emphasized. Some states have already taken a lead
and the others are being requested to exploit this available potential.
The Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources
is keen that the regulatory authorities should specify a percentage
of renewable energy as a mandatory offtake from renewable sources.
