Hydropower generation slows, Himachal Pradesh looks to tap solar energy

The pace of hydropower generation in Himachal has slowed as private players have commissioned only10 projects of 339 MW capacity in the past three years.

The state government claims that there is no slowdown but compared to the past figures when big projects like 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri, 1,000 MW Karcham Wangtoo, 800 MW Kol Dam and others were commissioned, disinterest on the part of private players is more than obvious.

Himachal is also making efforts to tap solar power. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is very keen that small solar plants are set up in the state, especially by the youth.

Sources say that there are 35 projects on which work has not started due to delay in the grant of clearances. The government is contemplating to re-allot these projects and give the power producers more time to set up projects. Himachal has the capacity to produce more than 27,000 MW but not even half of this has been harnessed so far.

Cash-strapped Himachal is heavily dependent on power, mining and tourism for revenue generation, and hence the decline in interest in hydroelectric power is worrisome. There has been a major shift towards solar power generation at much less cost of production of about Rs 5 crore per MW as compared to double of this in case of hydroelectric.

There was a virtual boom in the past two decades and private power companies arrived in Himachal to tap the over 28,000 MW potential of five rivers but the situation now was quite the opposite. The work on the ongoing projects is proceeding at a slow pace and in many cases, private players have expressed desire to surrender the allotted projects, considering the grim scenario.

Those associated with the power sector admit that interest in the hydropower sector has declined. “It appears that factors like high cost of generation as compared to solar power, low tariff and problems in getting clearances and opposition from local communities to projects due to environmental concerns have taken a toll on hydroelectric power generation in Himachal,” says an official.

The 10 projects that started power generation in the past three years are 19.8 MW Chanju-II, 100 MW Sorang, 4.80 MW Kareri, 180 MW Bajoli Holi, 9.9 MW Raipur-II, 5 MW Anni, 4.90 MW Beas Kund, 1 MW Sethu, 7 MW Soldan and 7 MW Holi-II.

Public sector undertakings of the Central Government such as the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (SJVNL) and the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) are running eight big projects (Kol Dam, Nathpa Jhakri, Rampur, Baira Siul, Chamera I, II, III and Parbati-III). These eight projects had produced 15,802 million units in 2023-24 with Himachal getting 12 per cent of free power as royalty.