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Small Hydro

Potential & Prospects

CII Godrej GBC Publication RES - Fact Sheet - No.2 June 2004

Confederation of I ndian IndustryCII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre

Introduction

Small hydro is a renewable, non-polluting and

environmentally benign source of energy.

In India, hydro projects up to 25 MW have been

categorized as small hydro power (SHP) projects.

Depending on the capacities, they are categorized as

Micro, Mini and Small hydro projects as under.

Mini hydro - 10 kW to 99 KW

Mico hydro - 100 kW to 999 kW

Small hydro - 1,000 kW to 25,000 kW

Depending on the head, SHPs are classified as low

head (below 3 meters) medium head (from 30 75

meters) and high head (above 75 meters).

The estimated potential of small hydro power in

India is about 15,000 MW . Thus far about 4250

potential sites have been identified aggregating

to a capacity of 10,000 MW.

However, so far 466

projects in 29 states

aggregating to 1530

MW have been

installed and projects

amounting to 610

MW are under

implementation.

This offers a tremendous potential of small hydro

power to be tapped in India.

In India, about 18,000 villages are to be electrified

mainly through renewable energy sources. Many of

these villages have potential for setting up mini and

micro Hydel projects.

I t presents a huge bus iness potent ia l for

investors and equipment manufactures.

Potential available - 15,000 MW

Installed so far - 1530 MW

Pro jects under implementation - 610 MW

Applications

Micro & Mini hydro:

As mini and micro Hydel project are normally installed

under river run off scheme, they are located in hilly

areas. Most of the micro Hydel projects are used for

stand alone power generation application to cater

to domestic and commercial requirements, while power

generated from mini hydel plants is normally exported

to the grid.

Case study:

A mini Hydel project

of 0.8 MW has been

commissioned in the

hilly state of

Himachal Pradesh

and connected to the

grid. The total

available head for

this project is 249m

and quantity of waterflow, on an average is about 0.39 m3/sec.

The total power generation is 30 lakhs units in a year.

Due to icing in winter, the water flow would reduce to

25% of its designed discharge and hence lower power

generation.

The company has wheeling and banking arrangement

with state electricity board at 2% charges. The

generated power is being exported to grid at the rate

of Rs 2.50 per unit as per power purchase agreement.

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CII- Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre

The CII Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre is a

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Confederation of I ndian IndustryCII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre

Small Hydro: (1MW to 25 MW)

A typical small hydro power plant would have a turbine

connected to the water source through penstocks. The

generator which is coupled with turbine would generate

power when water flows through it.

Depending on the

head availability

and quantity ofwater flow, there

are various types of

turbines used for

power generation.

Normally for low

head and large

projects, horizontal Kaplan type turbines are being used

while for high head and low water flow projects, pelton

wheel types are being used. Power generation and

economics of a typical 1 MW plant is highlighted below:

I nvestment requ ired - 5 .0 to 6.0 crore / MW

Average Power

generation - 30 Lakhs units / yr

Gestation period - 2 years

Simple payback - 4 to 5 years

period @ Rs.2.80/ unit

Case study:

A small hydro power plant of 18 MW with two turbines of

9 MW each has been commissioned during 1992. Thehead available is 18m and quantity of water flow is about

4200 m3/sec.

This project is a

water storage

scheme, which has

a set dam where

water is stored and

flows to the turbine

through penstocks.

The total gestation

period of this project was less than 2 years. The plan has

been successfully operated at 55% plant load factor

since commissioning.

The project has 40 years power purchase agreement

with Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd and

the cost of electricity exported is Rs 3.25 / unit. The

average power generation of this plant is about 350

units per day which works out to 80.0 to 85.0 million

units per year. This plant required an investment of

Rs 35.0 Crores, which was paid back in less than 7 years.