CM calls for power evacuation from Chenab basin, Spiti

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 27

The state government has urged the Centre to ask the Power Grid Corporation to prepare a plan for power evacuation from the Chenab basin and Spiti. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said this while addressing the Chief Ministers’ plenary session of the virtual ‘Third Global Renewable Energy Investment Meeting and Expo, RE-Invest 2020’, inaugurated by the Prime Minister yesterday.

He said the state had identified renewal energy of 6,000 MW in the Chenab basin as well as Spiti. He said the power projects had been allocated to SJVNL, NTPC and NHPC for execution. In addition to this, 880 MW mega solar park had been allocated to SJVNL in Spiti, he said. The plan was required to evacuate power from both these areas, he said. Thakur said the state was also working on the Green Gaushala Scheme, in which self-sufficient biogas would be produced by harnessing solar power. He urged the Centre to help the state government in this regard.

He said the state had immense potential for biomass, in the form of pine needles and lantana found in the forests of the state. He said to exploit this potential for power generation, they had started using pine needle-based briquettes.

The Chief Minister urged the Union Minister of State for Power and Renewal Energy RK Singh for sanctioning the power equipments manufacturing hub for the state. He said the state would provide the manufacturers power at attractive rates, besides other utilities. He urged the Union Minister to provide grant for common facilities and infrastructure.

He said the state had 24,000 MW harnessable power potential, which was about 40 per cent of the total potential of the country. He said till date 10,596 MW had been harnessed. The state had set a target of harnessing another 10,000 MW in the next 10 years, he added.

RK Singh said the annual renewable energy capacity addition had been exceeding that of the coal-based thermal power since 2017, and during the last six years, India had increased installed renewable energy capacity by two-and-half times.

The Union Minister assured the Chief Minister of providing all possible assistance to the state for the Green Gaushala Scheme, setting up of power equipments manufacturing hub in the state and power evacuation from remote areas.

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