Government to bank on hydel projects

By Express News Service - HYDERABAD



16th July 2012 09:28 AM



The state government is all set to give permissions for construction of a large number of mini-hydro-electricity projects across canals and rivulets to overcome the power crisis.



For this, a policy on construction of mini-hydel projects will be formulated soon and a draft paper will be ready within one month. A team of ministers comprising major irrigation minister P Sudarshan Reddy, revenue minister N Raghuveera Reddy and agriculture minister Kanna Lakshminarayana and others will visit Maharashtra, Karnataka and other states to study the mini-hydel projects there soon and submit a report to the government.



A decision to this effect has been taken recently. Already, officials concerned have visited a couple of states and briefed the ministers. "To study and evolve a policy on mini-hydel projects, we wanted to visit some states," Sudarshan Reddy told Express. Mini-hydel projects would be sanctioned to a maximum extent, he added.



Officials said the government had not sanctioned new hydel projects on canals and rivers in the last five years as construction of these projects might cause hardships to local farmers. Now, with the acute shortage of power, the government thinks that mini-hydel projects will help it overcome the crisis to some extent.



APGenco director (hydel) G Adiseshu said that a draft policy paper would be prepared and presented to the ministers soon. A decision on giving permission for mini-hydel projects would be taken only after studying the success of projects in other states, another official said.



Once the draft policy is ready, the cabinet sub-committee will place the same before the Cabinet for approval. Sources said that the Non-conventional Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (Nedcap) received proposals for construction of as many as 393 min-hydel projects on canals and rivers except on the Krishna and the Godavari. The total capacity of all the 393 hydel projects will be 994.11 MW. Of these, 59 with an installed capacity of 183.10 MW have been permitted. Of the 59 plants, 36 have started production and are generating 100.65 MW of power. Another 80 plants with a capacity of 80 MW are under various stages of construction.



Permission would be accorded for new mini-hydel projects by the Nedcap, sources said.