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DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

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29 August, 2021

24 Min Read

Hydroelectric power in India

• Economic Issues
• Renewable energy
• River water projects
• Irrigation projects
• Renewable Energy

What is Hydroelectric power?

• Hydroelectric power is electricity produced from generators driven by turbines that convert the potential energy of falling water into mechanical energy .
• India overtook Japan in 2019 as the fifth largest world hydropower producer by capacity which currently is 50 GW. Only China, Brazil, the US and Canada have a greater hydropower capacity globally.
• The country has 197 hydropower plants capable of producing more than 25 megawatts (MW), according to the International Hydropower Association (IHA), plus nine pumped storage stations accounting for 4,786MW capacity.
• As of 31 March 2020, India's installed utility-scale hydroelectric capacity was 46,000 MW or 12.3% of its total utility power generation capacity. The public sector accounts for 92.5% of India's hydroelectric power production.
• Additional smaller hydroelectric power units with a total capacity of 4,683 MW (1.3% of its total utility power generation capacity) have been installed.
• India also imports surplus hydroelectric power from Bhutan .
• Indian companies have also constructed hydropower projects in Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan, and other countries.
• India is the world's third-largest producer and the third-largest consumer of electricity . The national electric grid in India has an installed capacity of 383.37 GW as of 31 May 2021. Renewable power plants, which also include large hydroelectric plants, constitute 37% of India's total installed capacity .
• Companies engaged in the development of hydroelectric power in India include the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), Northeast Electric Power Company (NEEPCO), Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVNL), Tehri Hydro Development Corporation, and NTPC-Hydro.
• With a population of well over a billion people and a fast-growing economy, India’s electricity demand is expected to double over the next decade .

Advantages of Hydropower

• A renewable source of energy - saves scarce fuel reserves.
• Non-polluting and hence environment friendly.
• Long life - The first hydro project completed in 1897 is still in operation at Darjeeling is still in operation.
• The cost of generation, operation and maintenance is lower than the other sources of energy.
• Hydropower is clean and cheap in long run. It has features like quick ramping, black start and reactive absorption — required for ideal peaking power or spinning reserve.
• The ability to start and stop quickly and instantaneous load acceptance/rejection makes it suitable to meet peak demand and for enhancing system reliability and stability.
• Has higher efficiency (over 90%) compared to thermal (35%) and gas (around 50%).
• The cost of generation is free from inflationary effects after the initial installation.
• Storage-based hydro schemes often provide attendant benefits of irrigation, flood control, drinking water supply, navigation, recreation, tourism, pisciculture etc.
• Being located in remote regions leads to the development of interior backward areas (education, medical, road communication, telecommunication etc.)

Classification of Hydropower projects:

• Hydropower projects are classified as large and small hydro projects based on their sizes.

1) Large Hydropower – Ministry of Power

• India has an estimated hydropower potential of 1,45,320 MW , excluding small hydro projects (SHPs) which have 20 GW potential.
• Several hydroelectric projects (HEPs) in India are languishing due to contractual conflicts, environmental litigations, local disturbances, financial stress and unwilling purchasers.
• Only about 10,000 MW of hydropower could be added over the last 10 years.
• India has close to 100 hydropower plants above 25 MW , plus nine pumped storage stations. In 2019, it surpassed Japan to become the fifth largest in the world for potential hydropower capacity, surpassing 50 GW.

2) Small Hydropower - Ministry of New and renewable energy (MNRE)

• India has a history of about 120 years of hydropower.
• In India, hydropower plants of 25MW or below capacity are classified as small hydro and comes under the purview of the Ministry of New and renewable energy (MNRE) .
• The first small hydro project of 130 kW commissioned in the hills of Darjeeling in 1897 marked the development of hydropower in India.
• The Sivasamudram project of 4500 kW was the next to come up in the Mysore district of Karnataka in 1902, for the supply of power to the Kolar gold mines .
• Following this, there were a number of small hydro projects set up in various hilly areas of the country.
• Till Independence (1947), the country had an installed capacity of 1362 MW, which included 508 MW hydropower projects, mainly small and medium. As per MNRE, the estimated potential of a small hydropower plants is 20 GW across the country.
• Depending upon the capacity of the project, a Small hydro Project can be classified as below:
• Micro (up to 100 kW)
• Mini (101 kW to 2 MW)
• Small Hydro (2 MW to 25 MW)
• Hydro Power was being looked after by Ministry of Power prior to 1989 mainly with the help of State Electricity Boards.
• In 1989, plant capacity up to 3MW and below was transferred to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and as such 63 MW aggregate installed capacity of 3MW and below hydro projects came within the jurisdiction of MNRE.
• Subsequently, plant capacity up to 25MW and below was entrusted with the MNRE in November 1999 .

Hydroelectric Potential in India

• Hydropower potential is located mainly in northern and northeastern regions.
• Arunachal Pradesh has the largest unexploited hydropower potential of 47 GW, followed by Uttarakhand with 12 GW.
• The unexploited potential is mainly along three river systems — the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra (see Chart). India has several international issues across these river systems. Like electricity, hydropower should also be brought on the concurrent list to formulate uniform policies and processes for faster development.
• India has over 90 GW of pumped storage potential , with 63 sites identified and recognised in national energy policies for their valuable grid services.
• India has an estimated hydropower potential of 1,45,320 MW , excluding small hydro projects (SHPs) which has 20 GW potential.
• The estimated potential of Small Hydropwer of 21135.37 MW from 7135 sites for power generation in the country from small / mini hydel projects is assessed by the Alternate Hydro Energy Centre (AHEC) of IIT Roorkee in its Small Hydro Database of July 2016.
• The hilly States of India mainly Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand, and constitute around half of this potential . Other potential States are Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Kerala .
• India ranks as the fourth country in the world by undeveloped hydropower potential , after Russia, China and Canada, and fifth by total potential, surpassed also by Brazil.
• The basin-wise assessed potential is as under:-

Issues in Hydropower generation

• In central India, the hydroelectric power potential from the Godavari, Mahanadi, Nagavali, Vamsadhara and Narmada river basins has not been developed on a major scale due to potential opposition from the tribal population.
• Hydropower’s share in the electricity mix has, however, been decreasing over the years, accounting for around 10 per cent of generation, with the majority (80 per cent) coming from thermal generation.
• Many current hydropower projects have been slow going with delays due to complex planning procedures, prolonged land acquisition and resettlement, a lack of enabling infrastructure including transmission, insufficient market scope and long-term financing.
• As water and water power are State subjects , the construction of HEPs is often delayed due to conflicts among riparian States — the Subansiri HEP is a prime example of this.

Solutions for Hydropower

• India is committed to having 40 per cent of its installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030, and is pursuing a renewable target of 175 GW by 2022 and 450 GW by 2030. Therefore, hydropower is highly relevant for grid integration of renewable energy and for balancing infirmities.
• Significant reforms made in recent years include the 2008 Hydro Power Policy encouraging private sector participation and the 2016 National Tariff Policy on frequency response markets and extended certainty of power purchase agreements.
• The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and the Ministry of Power have also been actively monitoring and fast-tracking priority schemes, notably the 50,000 MW Hydro Electric Initiative.
• The government formally recognised large hydropower as renewable in 2019 . This means that these projects built after March that year will be able to benefit from the renewable purchase obligation . Previously only projects up to 25 MW were considered renewable.
• Policy proposals mooted by observers include new ancillary service markets , attributing hydropower full renewable status along with separate purchase obligation benefits, and more integrated planning.
• Draft policies under preparation are expected to support stalled hydropower projects and private sector uptake and could include measures to make hydropower tariffs more competitive.
• In 2020, the country’s hydropower sector was heralded for restoring electricity to tens of millions following a huge plunge in demand.
• In 2019, the Teesta-V hydropower station in Sikkim was rated as an example of international good practice in hydropower sustainability, following an independent assessment.
• Courtesy the Draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020, hydropower purchase obligation (HPO) may appear to become a reality soon.

Way Forward

However, a better option is re-engineering of the power market to treat hydropower as a peaking and grid-balancing power, and also to distribute its higher tariff over the entire energy consumption on a prorate basis.

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Does Hydroelectric Power Have a Role in India’s Decarbonisation Plans?

The BJP-headed NDA government wants to push India’s installed hydel capacity to 70,000 MW by 2030 – a 50% jump from the current 45,700 MW. Photo: Sanyam Bahga/wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

• The NDA govt is looking at hydroelectric power to balance the grid as it moves away from coal, but as past attempts have proven, this will be easier said than done.
• The BJP-led NDA government has announced new and/or expanded dams in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Kashmir and – most of all – Arunachal Pradesh.
• But hidden underneath all these announcements is a state-financed gamble over hydel’s role in India’s decarbonisation, and the fact of its price.

This is the first part of a three-part series on hydroelectric power in India’s future.

Once again, India is in the throes of a dam-building enthusiasm. Not only are old, stranded projects being revived, newer ones are being commissioned as well.

Just last year, the BJP-led NDA government announced fresh dams in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh . In Sikkim, there is speculation that a 520 MW hydel project at Dzongu will be revived. In Kashmir, so many dams are being built that the region’s hydel power output will double from the existing 3,504 MW to 7,001 MW.

The biggest of these pushes, however, is in Arunachal Pradesh. In December, 2021, the Union power ministry sanctioned 29 hydel projects – adding up to 32,415 MW – in the state.

But hidden underneath these announcements is a state-financed gamble over hydel’s role in India’s decarbonisation.

As the pressure to cut emissions rises, India will struggle to add new thermal power plants. At the same time, alternatives to coal-based power are still imperfect. Renewables are cheap, but not available all day. Gas, as CarbonCopy has reported, is too expensive to be competitive. Nuclear is too small in scale – and, as agitations like Kudankulam showed – runs into intense opposition.

That leaves hydel power. It is, however, costlier than solar. And so, instead of having it compete with low solar tariffs, the NDA government wants to use hydel for peak power and grid-stabilisation. “Renewables come with intermittency and so we will need hydel to balance the grid,” said Vinay Shrivastava, a former executive director (western region) of India’s Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO), a state-owned enterprise, which manages India’s electricity grid.

And so, not only does the BJP-headed NDA government want to push India’s installed hydel capacity to 70,000 MW by 2030 – a 50% jump from the current 45,700 MW – it’s also readying a large push on pumped storage. As energy minister RK Singh told Economic Times , the NDA has also identified 63 projects adding up to a generating capacity of 96,000 MW.

Hard-wired into this push, however, is a bet that hydel can hold its own against emerging storage technologies like battery energy storage systems (BESS) and electrolysers.

India pushes hydel again

This is not the first time India is trying to amp up its hydel power capacity. In 2003, too, the country had announced an ambitious plan—to treble its hydel power capacity.

At a time when India’s dams produced a little over 26,000 MW, the then-ruling NDA government, headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee, said it would set up 162 new hydel projects, adding up to 50,000 MW by 2012 .

That number climbed higher still. A clutch of states signed more MoUs than they needed to. Uttaranchal, meant to add 5,282 MW of fresh capacity, signed MoUs for 27,450 MW. Arunachal Pradesh, set a target of 27,000 MW, signed MoUs for 43,118 MW . Sikkim, given 1,469 MW, signed MoUs for 5,284 MW .

Himachal Pradesh, which was expected to add 15 projects adding up to 3,328 MW , signed MoUs for 53 projects in one part of the state alone— Kinnaur . By 2014, it had plans for as much as 13,813 MW of fresh capacity.

A speculative bubble had formed. Attracted by the prospect of owning a hydel project – with its promises of low running costs and government-mandated wide margins – construction companies and other newcomers to the energy sector were clamouring to get in. Knowing most of these projects wouldn’t come up, but seeing an opportunity for rent-extraction, political parties in power states such as Arunachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal began charging for MoUs – even with untested companies – and commissioned as many dams as they could.

By 2013, Arunachal Pradesh had signed MoUs for 153 dams. To put that number in perspective, the state has just four major river basins – Subansiri, Lohit, Siang and Kameng.

What happened next is well known. Pushed without considering their social, environmental or even economic feasibility, most of these dams never got made. Work began on some, but halted due to local opposition. Others never started construction due to the absence of necessary infrastructure such as roads and transmission lines. Others, signed by speculators hoping to offload MoUs to serious players, found themselves scuppered as buyers wisened up.

In all, each state failed to add the capacity than its MoUs promised, and India missed Vajpayee’s target as well.

Vajpayee had wanted the country to add 50,000 MW by “ the 12th Five Year Plan ” – 2012. In reality, the country added just 12,223 MW . Little changed in the eight years that followed. As a 2020 report in The Hindu BusinessLine says: “Only about 10,000 MW of hydropower could be added over the last 10 years,” taking India’s installed hydel power capacity to 45,700 MW.

A battle over storage

Today, as the country tries again, it has jettisoned parts of the old approach.

For a start, projects are being given not to the private sector, but to public sector undertakings (PSUs).

The 29 projects coming up in Arunachal Pradesh, for instance, have been shared between India’s four hydro PSUs – National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC), North East Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO), THDC (formerly Tehri Hydro Development Corporation) and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SYVN) – with each getting a river basin.

In Kashmir, too, all MoUs have been signed with NHPC. “We are back to PSU-driven development in the hydel sector,” said Jayant Kawale, a former head of Jindal Steel and Power’s hydel unit.

In addition, large hydel projects have given renewable energy status enabling new projects, as joint secretary AK Verma wrote in Hindu BusinessLine, to “receive concessions and green financing available to RE projects”.

To ensure hydel still has buyers – despite solar’s lower tariffs – the NDA has introduced Hydel Purchase Obligations . Like the Renewable Power Obligations, which compelled DISCOMs to buy solar and wind, these push hydel. “Everyone wants to schedule the cheapest power,” said Shrivastava. “With so much infra cost, if the cost of hydel is Rs4, the cost of solar is Rs2. No state will buy hydro. If some state has put up 2,000 MW of hydel, it will become a NPA [non-performing asset].”

In tandem, the debt repayment period for dams has been hiked from 12 years to 18 years and their project life has been extended to 40 years – both give promoters more time to retire loans, and ergo, make lower tariffs possible.

That said, even if some old challenges have been addressed, others persist. These include social, environmental, geological, geopolitical (China) and infrastructural challenges that dam-building runs into.

And then, there are newer challenges. India’s pushing hydel storage at a time when the world is making a big push on rival storage technologies like batteries and electrolysers.

India, too, has sanctioned a 50 GW PLI scheme for batteries. Central government agencies are projecting BESS installations for the grid at 27 GW by 2030.

Firms like Reliance are trying to produce cheap electrolysers. In addition, India has provisionally settled on a 5 GW target for electrolyser manufacturing by 2030 – with caveats that this might rise.

Think about it. India’s installed capacity of solar and wind is about 175 GW right now. The country wants to push renewables to 500 GW by 2030. At that level, said Shrivastava, India will “need as much as 85 GW of storage to balance the grid”.

India’s planned 96 GW of pumped hydro – and its projected 70 GW capacity comprising multipurpose dams and run of the river projects – will have to compete with newer forms of storage for this 85 GW space.

The resulting interplays are still evolving. On one hand, batteries and electrolysers are yet to be deployed at scale. On the other hand, hydel is a mature technology with little scope for dramatic cost reduction. Within hydel itself, pumped storage, run-of-the-river and multi-purpose projects come with different competitive advantages.

These two interplays – with storage, and within hydel – will determine hydel’s role in India’s emerging energy architecture.

This article was first published by CarbonCopy and was republished here with permission. M. Rajshekhar is an independent reporter studying corruption, oligarchy and the political economy of India’s environment.

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Hydel Power – Advantages & Disadvantages

The electricity that is generated from water is known as hydel power or hydroelectricity. It is generated when water stored in a dam falls from a great height on a turbine whose blades then move with a great force. This, in turn, rotates the generator and produces electricity. The hydropower projects are multipurpose projects because they are used for irrigation, water supply for domestic and industrial consumption and to control floods.

Advantages of Hydel power

• It is a clean, non-polluting source of energy. It does not release any toxic gases. Natural Gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
• It is a renewable source of energy that can be repeatedly used.
• The dams built to produce hydroelectricity help in saving and restoring water.
• It is economic and sustainable. The cost of electricity generation is cheaper than the electricity produced from fossil fuels and nuclear power.

Disadvantages of Hydel Power

• The initial cost for building dams for generating hydroelectricity is extremely high.
• Building large dams result in the destruction and submergence of forests on a large scale.
• The building of huge dams may trigger earthquakes in an area.
• Dam building may displace people from their villages. They may also lose their source of livelihood.

Bhakra Nangal Dam

This project is a joint venture of the Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan governments. The Bhakra Dam is the second-highest dam in India. Gobind Sagar is the name of the reservoir of the Bhakra dam. With a storage capacity of 9.3 billion cubic meters, it is the third-largest water reservoir in India. The Bhakra- Nangal project comprises of the following :

• The Bhakra Dam:  It is the second-highest and the third largest water reservoir in India.
• The Nangal Dam:  It is constructed at Nangal at river Satluj in Punjab. It supplies water to the Bhakra irrigation canal.
• Power Houses : There are four powerhouses.
• Provides water for irrigation
• Generate hydro-electricity
• Prevent flooding from Sutlej-Beas rivers

Hirakud Dam

This dam is built across the river Mahanadi. It was one of the earliest multipurpose river projects that started after independence. Its construction was completed in 1953. It is the longest major earthen dam in Asia. The dam also forms the biggest artificial lake in Asia. There are two observational towers on the dam at each side. One is Gandhi Minar and the other is Nehru Minar.

Benefits of the Hirakud Dam

• The dam helps control floods in the Mahanadi delta ad irrigates 75,000 sq. km of land. The Bhakra – Nangal Project The Bhakra dam Power Houses Bhakra canal system The Nangal dam
• The project provides irrigation to the ‘kharif’ and ‘rabi’ crops in districts of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Bolangir and Subarnpur.
• The dam can generate upto 307.5 MW of electrical power through its two power plants at Burla and Chiplima.
• Moreover, the project provides flood protection to 9, 5000 km2 of delta area in districts of Cuttack and Puri.

Also, Read Natural Gas – Advantages & Disadvantages

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Current Affairs for UPSC IAS

Hydropower potential in india.

• Category Economy
• Published 24th Mar, 2023

Recently, the Parliament had informed that India has exploited 29 per cent of its hydropower potential against over 80 per cent and 70 per cent developed by the US and European Union respectively.

About the information:

• As per the Reassessment Study carried out by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) during 1978-1987, the assessed hydropower potential in the country is about 1,45,320 MW (for projects with capacity above 25 MW).
• The main challenges in the development of hydroelectric potential in the country are remote location, unpredictable geology, natural calamities, environment and forest issues, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) issues, law & order issues and inter-state issues.
• The coal stocking norms of the Central Electricity Authority mandate the power plants to maintain coal stock which varies from month to month basis.

Central Electricity Authority:

• CEA is a Statutory Body constituted under the erstwhile Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948 , hereinafter replaced by the Electricity Act, 2003, where similar provisions exists, the office of the CEA is an “Attached Office” of the Ministry of Power.

Hydroelectric Potential in India:

• Hydropower potential is located mainly in northern and north-eastern regions.
• Arunachal Pradesh has the largest unexploited hydropower potential of 47 GW, followed by Uttarakhand with 12 GW.
• The unexploited potential is mainly along three river systems — the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra
• India has several international issues across these river systems. Like electricity, hydropower should also be brought on the concurrent list to formulate uniform policies and processes for faster development.
• India has over 90 GW of pumped storage potential , with 63 sites identified and recognised in national energy policies for their valuable grid services.
• The estimated potential of Small Hydropwer of 21135.37 MW from 7135 sites for power generation in the country from small / mini hydel projects is assessed by the Alternate Hydro Energy Centre (AHEC ) of IIT Roorkee in its Small Hydro Database of July 2016.
• The hilly States of India mainly Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand, and constitute around half of this potential.
• Other potential States are Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Kerala .

Issues in Hydropower generation:

• Development vs. Indigenous communities : In central India, the hydroelectric power potential from the Godavari, Mahanadi, Nagavali, Vamsadhara and Narmada river basins has not been developed on a major scale due to potential opposition from the tribal population .
• Majority power from thermal source: Hydropower’s share in the electricity mix has, however, been decreasing over the years, accounting for around 10 per cent of generation , with the majority (80 per cent) coming from thermal generation.
• Complex clearance norms : Many current hydropower projects have been slow going with delays due to complex planning procedures, prolonged land acquisition and resettlement, a lack of enabling infrastructure including transmission, insufficient market scope and long-term financing.
• Environmental concerns: Several hydroelectric projects (HEPs ) in India are languishing due to contractual conflicts, environmental litigations, local disturbances, financial stress and unwilling purchasers.
• Only about 10,000 MW of hydropower could be added over the last 10 years .
• Centre-state dispute : As  water and water power are State subjects , the construction of HEPs is often delayed due to conflicts among riparian States — the Subansiri HEP is a prime example of this.

Major Hydropower projects in India:

• Topping the list of hydroelectric power plants in India is the Tehri Dam in Uttarakhand, the highest hydroelectric power project in the country. It is also the eighth-tallest dam in the world and the second-tallest in Asia.
• Commissioned in 2006, the first construction began in 1978 helped by technical collaboration from the former USSR.
• Located at the confluence of the Bhagirathi and the Bhilangana rivers.
• This dam counts as the world’s second-largest concrete dam—after Grand Coulee which sits across River Columbia in the US—in terms of the volume of concrete used in its construction.

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Hydroelectricity in India, Definition, Advantages, Limitations

Hydroelectricity is a renewable energy source that uses the potential energy of the water stored in dams, reservoirs, flowing rivers etc. Know all about Hydroelectricity in India & its advantages.

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Hydroelectricity

Hydroelectricity refers to the electricity derived from the energy of moving water. It is a renewable source of energy.  Hydroelectricity is produced when moving water rotates a turbine. With the aid of an electrical generator, this movement is transformed into electricity. The power plant where Hydroelectricity is produced is known as a hydroelectric power plant or hydropower plant. In order to produce hydroelectricity dams are constructed on rivers.

Read about: Nuclear Power Plants in India

Hydropower Plants Various Forms

Hydropower facilities come in three different varieties: impoundments, diversion, and pumped storage. Hydropower plants vary in their utilisation of dams .

Impoundment Hydropower Plant

A facility that uses impoundments is the most prevalent type of hydroelectric power plant. A dam is used in an impoundment facility, which is usually a big hydroelectric system, to hold river water in a reservoir. Released water from the reservoir spins a turbine as it passes through, starting a generator that generates power.

Diversion Hydropower Plant

A diversion, also known as a run-of-river facility, directs a river’s flow down a canal or penstock and into a turbine, turning the turbine to turn on a generator that generates energy. It might not be necessary to use a dam.

Pumped Storage Hydropower Plant

This method, which functions like a battery, stores the electricity produced by alternative energy sources including solar, wind, and nuclear power for later use. A pumped storage plant stores energy by moving water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir during times of low electricity demand. When there is a significant demand for energy, the water is discharged back into the lower reservoir where it acts as a turbine and produces electricity.

Hydroelectricity in India

Over 53% of India’s electricity was generated using hydropower in 1947, which accounted for about 37% of the country’s overall power-generating capability. The fall in hydropower’s share of capacity and generation began in the late 1960s as coal-based power generation increased. 46,512 MW (megawatts) of hydropower capacity, or around 11.7 per cent of total capacity, was available in 2022. In 2020–21, hydropower generated around 12% of all electricity. There are 197 Hydropower plants in India .

Hydropower Sites Global Distribution

The United States of America and Canada are the world’s top hydroelectric power producers.

Hydroelectricity Benefits

• Hydroelectricity uses water to generate electricity rather than consuming it, hydropower is a renewable source of energy that frees up this essential resource for other purposes.
• Since there are no consumables required and it is a renewable source of energy, there aren’t many ongoing expenses to worry about.
• Compared to electricity produced by coal and gas-fired power plants, it is less expensive. Because it doesn’t require fossil fuels, it is also more dependable and doesn’t generate financial losses from frequency changes.
• Due to its special ability for swift starting and closure, hydropower stations are the favoured solution for addressing peak loads in grids.
• The operational requirements of hydroelectric and thermal power plants are complementary, and a well-balanced blend promotes the best use of available resources.
• The seasonal load curves of regional grids and the pattern of hydropower generation are identical. A heavy agricultural workload causes hydroelectric power plants to produce more electricity during the summer and monsoon seasons when the system has a high load factor.
• Thermal stations operating at base load and hydro stations operating at peak load during the winter will handle weather-beating loads.

Hydroelectricity Limitations

• Due to possible opposition from the tribal people, the hydroelectric power potential from the Godavari, Mahanadi, Nagavali, Vamsadhara, and Narmada river basins has not been extensively explored in central India.
• However, hydropower’s contribution to the creation of electricity has been declining over time, making up only around 10% of total production, with the majority (80%) coming from thermal generation.
• Due to lengthy land acquisition and resettlement processes, difficult planning procedures, a lack of enabling infrastructure, such as transmission, an inadequate market size, and long-term finance, many contemporary hydropower projects have experienced delays.
• India has a large number of dormant hydropower projects (HEPs) as a result of environmental litigation, local unrest, financial strain, and uninterested purchasers.
• Only an additional 10,000 MW of hydropower could have been added over the previous ten years. Due to the fact that water and water power are State-related issues, conflicts between riparian States regularly cause the construction of HEPs to be delayed; the Subansiri HEP is an excellent example of this.

Hydroelectricity UPSC

There are 197 Hydropower plants in India . India started to gain power at the end of the 19th century. The Sidrapong Hydropower facility, a hydroelectricity project, was inaugurated in Darjeeling in 1897. And in 1902, a hydroelectric power plant in Karnataka’s Sivasamudram was put into operation. For the UPSC exams, hydroelectricity is an important topic that can be found in General Studies.

Other Indian Geography Topics

Other fundamental geography topics.

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What is meant by hydroelectricity?

Hydroelectric energy, also known as hydroelectric power or hydroelectricity, is a type of energy that generates electricity by using the force of moving water, such as water running down a waterfall. People have been using this force for a very long time.

How does hydroelectricity work?

Water is circulated through a pipe, also known as a penstock, at the plant level, turning a turbine's blades, turning a generator, and producing energy. Most traditional hydroelectric facilities, including pumped storage and run-of-the-river systems, function in this way.

What is hydroelectricity and why is it important?

A renewable energy source is hydropower. Given that it depends on the water cycle, which is fuelled by sunlight, hydropower is a renewable energy source. Hydropower is a clean source of energy because it is powered by water.

What are the benefits of hydroelectricity?

Hydropower benefits communities in many ways than just providing electricity, jobs, and development. Hydropower has a special capacity for flexibility and energy storage. It gives the electricity system stability and can quickly fulfil rising demand. Additionally, it can store water for agriculture and aid in flood prevention.

How is hydroelectricity made?

A typical dam stores water behind it in a reservoir or lake that was created by humans. When water is let out of the dam, it rotates a turbine that is connected to an electricity-generating generator.

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Essay on the Growth of Hydel Power in India

The first hydro-electric plant in India was installed in 1897-98 at Darjeeling (installed capacity 200 kw). This was followed by a hydro-electric station (4,200 km) along the Kaveri River at Sivasamudram (Karnataka) in 1902 to supply elec­tricity to Kolar gold mine.

Third hydel station was built on the Jhelum River at Mohara (4,500 km) in 1909. This was followed by hydel power stations at Shimla in 191 1 (500 mw and at Gokal Falls in 1914 (40,000 km). The First World War gave impetus to electricity development and a number of hydel projects were started in different states of the country. Khopali (1915), Shivpuri (1922), Bhira (1927) hydel power stations by Tata Hydro-electric/Power Co. in Maharashtra; Pykara (1932), Mettur (1937) and Papanasam (1943) in Tamil Nadu; Ganga Canal hydel power houses (1927-37) in Uttar Pradesh; Jogindernagar power house (1935) in Himachal Pradesh; and Pal vasal power plant (1940) in Kerala are worth mentioning because of which the installed capacity of hydel power rose to 575 mw in 1950-51 (generation being 286 crore km).

After independ­ence a number of multi-purpose and river valley projects were initiated to improve power generation. Notable among these were Bhakra Nangal, Hirakud, Rihand, D. V.C., Chambal, Tungabhadra, Koyna etc. Consequently installed capacity of hy­dro-electricity increased to 6,383 mw in 1970-71, 18,753 mw in 1990-91 and 26,800 mw in 2002-2003 exhibiting phenomenal growth of 45 times during last 52 years. The actual generation of electricity increased from 2.5 billion km in 1950-51 to 64 billion km in 2002-2003 recording 26 times growth.

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Why We Have to Rely on Hydel Power

Context:   Hydropower offers a cheap, fast and sustainable solution to meet peak demand given the low variable cost and the availability of many perennial rivers.

Reasons for promoting Hydel Power in India

• Ideal to meet peak load compared to thermal power plants (as they can provide electricity within three to five minutes from being switched on). (gas projects take 30 minutes)
• Provide backup till the time that thermal projects start operating at a minimum threshold of 30% of their installed capacity. 
• Solves energy storage problems through hydro pump storage schemes for utility-scale projects.
• India being the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after the US and China targets to add 45 GW of hydropower capacity and 450GW renewable energy target by 2030.
• Green Energy: as it does not cause emissions
• Of the eight river basins in Arunachal Pradesh, Subansiri, Lohit, and Siang are of strategic importance as they are closer to the border with China .
• India is expediting strategic hydropower projects in J&K following the reorganization.
• Sharing water under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 is strategically vital in the context of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in the region .
• China’s ambitious $62 billion south-north water diversion scheme raises concern for India.
• Socioeconomic relevance : hydropower projects play key role in the development and integration of India’s north-east region with the mainland.

Concerns and Challenges

• Ecological and environmental issues: 
• For e.g.  Nyamjang Chhu hydroelectric project in the Arunachal Pradesh, is home to endangered black-necked crane, Red panda, Himalayan black bear, Musk deer, local Monpa tribe, medicinal plants and rare orchids.
• Large multilateral lenders being averse to such projects due to ecological and social sensitivity.
• High hydropower tariff : around 100GW of electricity potential in India’s rivers is lying untapped and DISCOMS are reluctant to sign power purchase agreements for hydropower because of high tariffs.
• Developing hydropower projects is complex process : as it is time-consuming (long gestation period) requiring thorough survey and investigation, specialized technology and design, and  environmental clearances.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Geography Chapter 7 Mineral and Energy Resources

Detailed, Step-by-Step NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Geography Chapter 7 Mineral and Energy Resources Questions and Answers were solved by Expert Teachers as per NCERT (CBSE) Book guidelines covering each topic in chapter to ensure complete preparation.

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Write an essay on hydel power in india..

  Question.

Write an essay on hydel power in India. 

(NCERT class 12 geography, India People and Economy,  Chapter-7- Chapter- Mineral and Energy Resources )

Hydel power is a source of energy that is regenerated from running water. To generate it, rainwater is collected and stored by making a dam on the river. The turbine which is installed under the dam, waterfalls on it through pipes inside. When water falls from the height on the turbine, the turbine blades move and it converts mechanical energy (motion energy) into electrical energy. This is called hydroelectricity.

Norway was the first country in the world to develop hydroelectricity. It is a non-exhaustible but conventional source of energy as it requires large displacement of the local communities (to build dams) along with submergence of large areas of forest.

The major producers of hydroelectric power in the world are Paraguay, Norway, Brazil, and China. India ranks 7th in the world in terms of hydroelectricity generation. The first hydroelectric power plant in India was established in 1898 in Darjeeling, West Bengal. The Brahmaputra basin in India has the largest hydroelectric potential to generate hydroelectric power (about 24 GW).

Some of the important hydroelectric stations in India are:

• Tehri Dam is built on the Bhagirathi River in Uttarakhand and has a power capacity of 2400 MW which is the highest in India.
• Bhakra Nangal Dam is situated on the river Sutlej which is situated in Himachal Pradesh.
• Gandhi Sagar is situated on the Chambal River in Madhya Pradesh.
• Nagarjunasagar is situated on the Krishna River which is situated in Andhra Pradesh.
• The Rihand Dam is on the Rihand River which is a tributary of the Son River and is located in the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.
• Damodar Valley Project is on the Damodar River of Jharkhand.
• A series of Sardar Sarovar dams have been built on the Narmada River.

Advantages of Hydroelectricity:

• It is a largely non-polluting source of energy, however, methane (which is a greenhouse) gas emits from submerged forests. For example, the Rihand Dam emits large amounts of methane gas which is one of the methane hotspots in India.
• It is a cheap source of electricity except for the initial high cost.
• It promotes electricity as well as irrigation, fishing, and tourism.

Disadvantages of hydropower;

• The construction of dams submerges large areas leading to the displacement of local communities, especially tribal communities.
• Displacement of communities is very costly because India's population is high and land resources are very less.
• Dams can be constructed only in limited places, usually in hilly areas.
• Building dams destroys large ecosystems when they are submerged in water dams.
• There is resentment(negative attitude) in society regarding the construction of big dams. For example, there was a huge movement of people against the construction of the Tehri Dam on the Ganges and the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River.
• Large dam construction increases the chances of reservoir-induced earthquakes.

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• कक्षा 12 भूगोल विषय "भारत लोग और अर्थव्यवस्था " का संपूर्ण हल

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