40,000 mw hydro power by 2022

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To tied-over energy shortfall, the government is planning 40,000 mw of hydroelectric power generation capacity during the 12th (2012-17) and 13th Plan (2017-22).

“We are making preparations for power projects in the 12th and 13th Plan, and are planning to add 40,000 mw capacity in the hydro sector,” Central Electricity Authority (CEA) chairman Rakesh Nath said here.

Project sites in states with hydro potential are being identified.

“We have identified the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Uttarak-hand to set up these hydro power projects,” minister of state for power Jairam Ramesh said.

The 11th Five-Year Plan focuses primarily on adding power generation capacity using coal and gas as fuel.

“We expect a growth of 9% in power sector in the 11th Plan and the need of the hour is to develop hydro power”, Ramesh said.

The government was also looking for high-efficiency and new technologies for the sector, right now the efficiency of power plants is low, he said.

“We need to focus on efficiency. High Plant Load Factor (PLF) is not always high efficiency. We also need to put in place Renovation and Modernisation (R&M) programmes for efficiency”, he said. To meet the shortfall in natural gas for power plants, the government is working on an ambitious project to convert coal into gas in underground mines. Coal gasification projects are on the anvil.

Besides, coal production is being doubled in the next five years from the 450.50 million tonnes in 2007-08, to fuel requirement of thermal plants.