Hydropower Potential In India
India has immense
economically exploitable hydropower potential of over 84,000
MW at 60% load factor (148700 MW installed capacity), with
Brahamaputra, Indus and Ganges basins contributing about 80%
of it. In addition to this, small, mini and micro hydropower
schemes (with capacity less than 3 MW) have been assessed to
have 6781.81 MW of installed capacity. Of this enormous
hydro potential, India has harnessed only about 15% so far,
with another 7% under various stages of development. The
remaining 78% remains un-harnessed due to many issues and
barrier to the large scale development of Hydropower in the
subcontinent.
Various studies have established the ideal hydro: thermal
power mix for India at to be 60:40. The present mix of 75:45
is creating much problem in the Indian power system with
country facing energy shortage of 9.3% and peaking shortage
of 12.8%. The total requirement ending XI plan is set to be
206000 MW. The current installed thermal and Hydro capacity
stands at 66% and 26% of the total power generated with
83272 and 32726 MW respectively. Remaining 8% of 10091 MW is
achieved from other forms including wind and nuclear. The
current captive generation amounts to 14636 MW.
India’s power system is divided into five major regions
namely, the Northern region, Western region, Southern
region, Eastern region and North-Eastern region, with each
region facing separate issues. While the Eastern and
North-Eastern regions are power abundant, the Northern and
Western regions have greater power demands. The Hydropower
potential is largest in NE region with 98% of it still
untapped. Northern, Eastern, Western and Southern regions
have 79%, 77%, 23% and 33% untapped hydropower potential
respectively. As on 30.06.06, the central, state and private
hydro projects contribute 6172 MW (19%), 25448 MW (78%) and
1106 MW (3%) respectively. The total installed capacity
developed is 32726 MW with 14021 MW under development.
Source of Information:
- S K Garg, Chairman NHPC; Presentation: Hydropower
Development in India; Energy Conclave 2006; Delhi
- National Hydro Power Policy, 1998; Ministry of Power;
Government of India
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