India’s hydro power generation grew 2.14 per cent to 15.41 Billion Units (BU) in the month of July as compared to 15.08 BUs in the corresponding month last year, according to data from Central Electricity Authority (CEA). Hydro generation saw a growth of only 1.73 per cent in July 2016 as compared to the growth of 8.2 per cent in July 2015.
As compared to 1,659 Mw added last fiscal, India is planning to add around 1,305 Megawatt (Mw) of additional hydropower generation capacity in the current financial year which is 20 per cent lower than last fiscal.
Of the 1,305 MW capacity planned this year, 266 MW has already been commissioned by four Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), the remaining 1,000 MW is yet to be installed while the rest is expected to come from the private sector.
Of the four PSU projects, 60 MW is expected to come in Mizoram from Tuirial hydro project of North Eastern Electric Power Corp (NEEPCO), 330 MW from Kishanganga project of NHPC Ltd in Jammu & Kashmir, 110 MW from Pare Hydro Project and 600 MW Kameng Hydropower plant in Arunachal Pradesh operated by NEEPCO.
At present, as many as 20 under construction hydro power projects totalling 6,329 MW are either stalled or stressed in the country and Rs 30,147.08 crore has already been spent on them.