Question : Hydro Electric Plants

(a) whether the Government proposes to encourage power generation from hydroelectric plants in the country;

(b) if so, the details of power generation from hydro electric power plants in the country during the last five years, plant and year-wise;

(c) whether the Government has any statistics regarding number of hydro electric plants commissioned and decommissioned in the country during the last five years and if so, the details thereof, plant and year-wise;

(d) whether the Government has any plan to set up more power plants in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the Government is aware of the apprehensions that the dams being used for power generation are causing floods during rainy season and if so, the details thereof; and

(f) whether the Government has conducted any study in this regard and if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER, NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

( SHRI R.K. SINGH)

(a) : Yes, Sir. Government have recently approved measures to promote hydropower sector, which includes the following:

i) Declaring Large Hydropower Projects (>25 MW) as Renewable Energy,
ii) Hydropower Purchase Obligation(HPO),
iii) Tariff rationalisation measures,
iv) Budgetary support for flood moderation component
v) Budgetary support for enabling infrastructure like bridges, roads etc.

(b) : The year-wise and plant-wise details of hydroelectric power generation in the country during the last five years are enclosed at Annexure-I.

(c) : During the last 5 years i.e. 2014-15 to 2018-19, 27 no. of hydroelectric plants of above 25 MW capacity aggregating 4846 MW have been commissioned in the country. The year-wise & plant-wise details, in this regard, are enclosed at Annexure-II. No hydroelectric plant of above 25 MW capacity has been decommissioned in the country during the last five years.

(d) : Presently, 36 no. of hydro power projects above 25 MW capacity with an aggregate capacity of 12409.50 MW are under construction in the country (Annexure-III).

(e) & (f) : Dams used for hydro power generation do not cause any floods during rainy season. Rather Storage based hydro power projects have the capability to absorb floods during rainy season depending upon the extent of storage available and the prevailing reservoir levels at the time of occurrence of floods. As per the study conducted in Central Water Commission, Tehri Hydro project in the Year 2013 played a vital role in flood mitigation in the downstream area floods caused by unprecedented rainfall in the catchment area of Bhagirath River and its tributaries. It attenuated the flood peak at Haridwar by about 7000 cumec, resulting a flood peak of about 14500 cumec, which would otherwise have been about 21500 cumec.


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