Orissa to set up more small, micro hydel projects

BHUBANESWAR: The Orrisa Government has decided to set up more small and micro hydel projects to generate 'Clean Power'.
    
"We have sanctioned at least 28 small and micro projects which will generate hydro-power by setting up units on rivers and canals," Energy minister S N Patro said.
    
Patro, after chairing a meeting of the state Technical Committee here said the government had received proposals for establishing 82 more small hydel projects in the state.
   
The proposals were forwarded for verification by the technical committee, official sources said.
    
Officials from the Department of Energy, Water Resources, Grid Corporation of Orissa and Orissa Hydro Power Generation Corporation, were members of the technical committee who would recommend the small and micro projects, they said.
    
The minister said while government agencies identified 34 locations for setting up small and micro hydel projects, private parties were interested in 48 other places.
    
"All the projects will be developed on the basis of private investments," the minister said adding the capacity of units would range from 100 KW to 25 MW.
    
An additional 700 MW could be generated in the state, if the project were implemented properly, he said.
    
The minister said the government would prefer to give priority to generation of non-conventional energy because they could generate clean power.
    
He said the government was laying stress on hydro power projects as they did not emit carbon like thermal ones.
    
"The small and micro hydel projects will also get a concession of 14 paise per unit of power generation," he said.