Hydro power is an inexhaustible, economic, clean and environmental- friendly source of energy. Hydro power stations have innate capacity for expeditious load variations, stopping, starting etc. and help in enhancing reliability of power system. Hydro stations are the premier option for meeting the apex demand. The generation cost is not only free of inflation but also decreases with time. Hydroelectric power projects have long serviceable life spanning over 50 years and help in preserving scarce fossil fuels. They also help in opening doors for development of secluded and underdeveloped regions.
Our country is endowed with huge economically exploitable and usable hydro potential assessed to be about 84,000 MW at 60% load factor (1,48,700 MW installed capacity). In addition, 6781.81 MW in terms of installed capacity from small, mini and micro hydel schemes have been assessed. Also, 56 sites for pumped storage schemes with an bundled installed capacity of 94,000 MW have been recognised. However, only 15% of the hydroelectric capacity has been harnessed so far and 7% is under various stages of development. Thus, 78% of the potential remains without any plan for exploitation.
In spite of hydroelectric projects being identified and recognised for being the most economical and preferred source of power, share of hydro power has been decreasing steadily since 1963. The share of hydropower has been rapidly decreasing during the last forty years. The share of hydro electric power has decreased from a considerable portion of 44 per cent in 1970 to 25 per cent in 2000. Where the ideal usage of hydro to thermal power is supposed to be at least a 40:60 split. Because of an disparity in the thermal-hydel mix mainly in theWestern and Eastern regions of India, many thermal power stations are required to back down on the load created during off peak hours, where the capacity of the thermal plants cannot be efficiently utilised resulting in a loss of about 4 to 5 percent in the plant load factor. Even if the share of hydro power is to be maintained at the existing level of 25 per cent, the capacity addition during the 10th and 11th Plan would work out to 23,000MW. If the share were to be enhanced to 30 percent ,it would require a further addition of 10, 000 MW of hydro capacity.
The constraints which have affected hydro electric power development are technical (labourious investigation, insufficiency in tunnelling methods), financial (inadequacy of providing with long term financing), problems related with tariffs and managerial frailty (poor contract management). Hydro projects are also affected by geological surprises (especially in the regions of Himalayan mountains where tunnelling under the ground is necessary), inaccessibility of the area, problems due to delay in land acquisition, and resettlement of project affected families, law & order problem in militant infested areas.
NEED FOR HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER PROJECTS IN THE NORTH EAST REGION
Ensuring targeted capacity addition during 10th Plan: The 10th Plan programme anticipated capacity addition of 9815 MW from hydel power projects in the total capacity addition of 40245MW. The Central Sector hydel projects would contribute 3455 MW, State Sector would add 5810 MW and Private Sector 550 MW. Keeping in view that the success in 9th Plan had been dismal, the Government is determined to ensure that no slippage is allowed to occur and the targeted capacity addition in the 10th Plan is achieved in full.
(ii) Exploitation of vast hydroelectric potential at a faster pace: The Government would initiate advance action for taking up new hydro projects since the ongoing projects will contribute a very small percentage of the desired capacity addition envisioned for 11th Plan and beyond. Towards this end, Government would take up for execution all the CEA cleared projects, and take steps to update and obtain clearances for pending DPRs. Measures for vigorously starting survey and investigations for new green field sites would also be implemented shortly. In addition, Government is keen to restart and activate the hydro projects which are either failing for want of funds or are remaining dormant due to unresolved inter-State issues.
(iii) Promoting small and mini hydel projects: Small and mini hydel potential can provide a solution for the energy problems in remote and hilly areas where extension of grid system is comparatively uneconomical and also along the canal systems having sufficient drops. The small hydro potential could be developed economically by simple design of turbines, generators and the civil works. Small and mini hydel capacity aggregating to about 340 MW is in operation, and Government is determined to provide thrust for developing the assessed small hydel potential at a faster pace henceforth.
(iv) Strengthening the role of PSUs/SEBs for taking up new hydel projects: In view of the poor response of the private sector so far in hydro development which may persist for some more years, the involvement of public sector in hydel projects would not only have to continue but will also have to be enlarged. There are categories of projects such as multi-purpose, projects involving inter-State issues, projects for peaking power and those involving rehabilitation and resettlement which may be taken up and implemented more easily in public sector. Similarly, mega hydro projects in the North and North Eastern region would also have to be executed by CPSUs in case the State or the private sector is not in position to implement these projects.
(v) Increasing private investment: Even though public sector organisations would play a greater role in the development of new schemes, this alone would not be adequate to develop the vast remaining hydro potential since it will require huge investments which are difficult to be supported from the budget/plan assistance in view of competing demands from the various sectors. A greater private investment through IPPs and joint ventures would be encouraged in the coming years and required atmosphere, incentives and reliefs would be provided to stimulate and maintain a trend in this direction.
BENEFITS OF HYDEL POWER
- Pollution Free Source of fuel – a clean fuel source because hydropower utilizes water to generate electricity, it doesn’t produce air pollution or create toxic by-products like power plants that burn fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas.
- Renewable – Hydropower is renewable because it relies on the hydrological (water) cycle driven by the sun which provides a renewable supply of water. Hydropower facilities harness the natural energy of flowing and falling water to generate electricity.
- Reliable – Hydropower can meet changing demands because it can go from zero power to maximum output rapidly and predictably.
- Efficient – Today’s hydropower turbines are capable of converting more than 90 percent of available energy into electricity which is more efficient than any other form of generation (the best fossil fuel power plant is only about 50 percent efficient).
- Flexibility – Hydropower output can be changed quickly in response to changes in electrical demand because of the ability to control the flow of water. Hydropower is generally available as needed; the flow of water can be controlled through the turbines to produce electricity on demand.
- Domestic and Secure – Hydropower is a secure source of energy because it comes from water in domestic rivers and is not subject to disruptions from foreign suppliers, cost fluctuations, and transportation issues that are associated with other fuel sources.
- Cost-Effective – Hydropower generation has low operating costs and a long power plant life compared with other large scale power-generating options. Once the initial investment is made, power plant life can be extended economically and remain in service for many years. Typically a hydropower plant in service for 40-50 years can have its operating life doubled.
- Stored Energy Source – Because hydropower is most often generated by water stored in a reservoir behind a dam, a vast amount of potential energy exists in the reservoir which is available over a long period of time.
- Black Start Capability – Hydropower facilities have the ability to start generation without an outside source of power. This service allows system operators to provide auxiliary power to more complex generation sources that could take hours or even days to start.