Chandigarh September 12: S. Bikram Singh Majithia, Science, Technology, Environment & NCES Minister today said that the Punjab Government has embarked upon a ambitious plan to tap the potential of 275 MW Power from the Mini Hydel projects at the canal falls and tail race of existing Hydel channel etc. in the State.
Mr. Majithia was addressing a function after laying the Foundation Stone of five mini hydel projects with total 5.3 MW capacity costing to Rs.57 crore being executed on Abohar branch of Sirhind canal at Khanpur bridge (RD23110), in district Ludhiana today. The five Hydel projects were being executed at bridge-cum-falls of canal at Khanpur (11MW capacity) at a cost of Rs. 12.60 crore , Sudhar (14 MW capacity) at a cost of Rs. 13.20 crore, Akhara, Gholian (capacity 8 MW) at a cost of Rs. 9.50 crore and Channuwal (capacity of 9 MW) costing to Rs. 9.20 crore. M/s Abohar Power Generation Limited, a reputed company in Hydel Power generation promised to complete the execution of the projects within a period of one year positively.
Giving further details of the plan, the Minister informed that out of the total 275 MW capacity at the canal falls and tail race of existing hydel channel etc., 29.55 MW capacity project both in the government and private sector are in operation and many more projects of 34.5 MW capacity are under execution. He explained that so far the hydraulic head upto 1.8 mt has been exploited and most of the remaining sites on the canal falls have ultra low head below 1.5 mt. The technologies are being identified suitable for Ultra Low Head to harness the entire available hydro potential on the canal falls in the State. He said that these projects shall generate lot of direct and indirect employment in the State and improve the quality of power in the rural areas.
Mr. Majithia said that Hydro power is an established technology that can contribute the worldwide demand for an increasing level of power supplied from renewable energy sources and generate power with no emissions. He said that Small Scale Hydro Power projects can provide economically attractive power generation options at many locations with high level availability over a long operating he added.
The Minister said that Mini Hydel projects on Abohar Branch Canal off-takes from Bowani Head works near Doraha designed to carry 90 cusecs of water. Four mini hydel projects at Chupki, Narangwal, Tugal and Dalla of PEDA with total 5.5 MW capacity were already in operation with the World Bank funding. He claimed that during the coming four years the target of generating of 100 MW from hydel projects will be achieved at a cost of Rs. 1000 crore.
Mr. Majithia further said that NRSE Policy-2006 has been formulated by the State Government for providing Fiscal and Financial incentives to the Private Entrepreneurs/ Developers for development of the Renewable Energy Projects in the State, under which PEDA has planned to exploit the Renewable Energy Power potential form Biomass of 350 MW at cost of Rs. 1500 crore , the tenders for which had already been floated.
Elaborating the future plans of PEDA Mr. Majithia said that Punjab has become the first state in country by targeting to generate 500 MW solar power. He said that 140MW Cogeneration Projects at different locations in the State are in operation and supplying surplus power to the State Grid. He claimed that total 1000 MW power generation will be added from all the renewable energy resources in the State during the coming four years.
Describing the power sector, as the base requirement for the development, the Minister said that during the next four years, power projects of 8000 MW capacity were being executed approximately at a cost of Rs 50,000/- crore in private sector making the state power surplus. He said that the work on 1st Thermal Power Project of 1980 MW capacity costing to Rs 10000 crore at Talwandi Sabo had been started. He added that the work on three more thermal power projects at Gowindwal Sahib of 600 MW, at Rajpura of 1500 MW capacity and at Giderwaha of 2640 MW capacity was being started shortly.
Sh.T P S Sidhu, Chief Executive, PEDA, Sh. Manpreet Singh Ayali Chairman Zila Parishad, S. Gurmail Singh Sangowal member SGPC, Sh.Balour Singh, Director, PEDA and Sh.Parmodh Arora Executive Director, M/s Abohar Hydro Power also spoke on this occasion.