(a) whether several power projects are lying pending due to techno-
economic and environmental clearance in the country including Kerala;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor, project-wise
and State-wise; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government for the early clearance of power
projects in the country?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER
( SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL )
(a) to (c) : With the enactment of the Electricity Act, 2003, concurrence of
Central Electricity Authority (CEA) is not required for setting up of new Thermal
Power Projects. However, concurrence of CEA is required for setting up of
Hydro Projects estimated to involve capital expenditure exceeding such sum
as may be fixed from time to time, by notification by the Central Government.
According to the guidelines, in case the Hydro Electric Scheme is found to be
technically acceptable with necessary inputs to be furnished by the
developers, the Authority shall accord concurrence for implementation of the
hydro electric scheme, as far as practicable within a period of 90 (ninety)
working days from the date of submission of DPR complete in all aspects.
No Hydro-Electric Project in Kerala is pending presently for want
of concurrence of CEA. However, theKerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has
informed that Athirapally Hydro Electric Project for which all clearances were
in place and when the project was on the verge of implementation, Ministry of
Environment & Forests issued a show cause on 4.1.2010 for revoking the
environmental clearance issued on 18th July, 2007. KSEB had submitted its
reply to the show cause notice, which was placed for consideration of the
Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) meeting, held on 22.03.2010 and 22.04.2010.
After examining all the environmental issues, representations including those
by individuals& Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), site visit report of
EAC members, reply furnished by KSEB, the EAC reserved its decision till the
KSEB/Tropical Botanical Garden Research Institute (TGRI) substantiate their
claim that there will be no change in the Bio-diversity pattern from the
published reports including recent study undertaken by Kerala Forest
Research Institute (KFRI).
In the meantime, Ministry of Environment & Forests re-constituted
the EAC and the reply to the above, furnished by KSEB and TBGRI were
considered by the newly constituted EAC meeting held on 17.07.2010. The
newly constituted EAC considered all the aspects of the proposed project and
found that the clarifications furnished by KSEB are in order and thus accepted.
In the meantime Ministry of Environment& Forests had referred the proposed
project proposal to the newly constituted Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel
(WGEEP).
The list of Hydro-Electric projects, state-wise, which are presently
under examination in CEA for accord of concurrence along with the status of
environmental clearance from Ministry of Environment and Forests is given at
Annex.
CEA and Ministry of Power review the status of power projects
periodically and undertake remedial measures for early clearances of projects.