Bring hydro power units under green category : CM to Centre

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 3

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday urged the Centre to bring “all hydro power projects under the green category of renewable energy” so that the investors could also avail the benefits being given to renewable energy projects. He also invited investors to invest in hydropower and solar energy sector as Himachal had eased norms under the state power policy.

Speaking in the Chief Ministerial Plenary session of the 2nd Global REINVEST Renewable Energy Investor’s Meet and Expo organised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy at Greater Noida on Wednesday, Jai Ram Thakur said at present hydro power projects up to only 25 MW capacity were being included under the renewal category.

To put across his point at the conclave, the Chief Minister reasoned that the hydro power projects generated clean and green energy. If all projects were brought under the green category, more investors would invest in the sector, boosting the state’s economy, he added.

Thakur cited the investor-friendly measures and atmosphere in the state and invited them to invest in energy sector and become partners in the growth of the economy in Himachal. “The state offers hydro power projects worth 2,100 MW capacity to be allocated soon while big dams will be developed into hydro tourism”, he added.

He said Himachal had power potential of 27,000 MW, out of which 10,547 MW capacity had already been tapped. The 63 projects of 2,395 MW capacity were under construction, while 770 projects worth 8,000 MW had been allocated.

The Chief Minister said the rates of upfront premium while allotting projects had been reduced from Rs 20 lakh to mere Rs 1 lakh per megawatt and land lease rates for hydro power projects were just one rupee per square metre.

He said the initial 12 years royalty of the state government from the new allotted projects had been deferred and could be collected during next 28 years. The 12 per cent free power will be collected evenly during contract period in case of future projects, he added.

The Chief Minister said the HP State Electricity Board Ltd would purchase power at a fixed rate from all hydro power projects up to 25 MW at electricity rates fixed from the date of agreement was signed.

Jai Ram Thakur said the state government had identified 1,000 MW solar park in Spiti. Additional projects worth 200 MW capacity were also proposed for near future under the state solar policy. The government was promoting only green and clean energy and at present 90 percent of the utilised energy was clean and has banned thermal power houses in the state, he added. Earlier, the CM accompanied by power minister Anil Sharma along with state officials inaugurated the Himachal pavilion set up by the Directorate of Energy in the India Expo Mart.

Clean energy

• The Chief Minister said that the hydro power projects generated clean and green energy. 
• If all projects are brought under green category, more investors will invest in the sector, boosting  the state’s economy.
• The CM said Himachal had power potential of 27,000 MW, out of which 10,547 MW capacity had been already tapped.