The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set a modest power generation target of 25 MW to be achieved from Small Hydro Power (SHP) projects in Chhattisgarh by 2022. Neighbouring Madhya Pradesh had also been given the target of 25 MW to be achieved from SHP projects by 2022. Interestingly, neighbouring Odisha State had not been assigned any SHP target during the period.
The Central Government has notified generation linked projects in Chhattisgarh and Odisha with a view to encouraging participation of Private sector in building the Transmission capacity in India, officials stated. It had notified 14 power transmission schemes worth Rs33,900 crore during 2014-15 across the country.
Nine schemes worth Rs 12,272 crore were notified in July 2014 and five more transmission schemes worth Rs 21,659 crore were notified in February 2015. All these projects had been allocated to the Bid Process Coordinator (BPC) namely REC Transmission Projects Company limited (RECTPCl) and PFC Consulting limited (PFCCl) for carrying out bidding under Tariff based competitive bidding (TBCB) route. The bid process is underway by both the BPCs.
These transmission schemes includes 765 kV and 400 kV transmission system strengthening schemes in the Northern, Western, Southern, North Eastern Regions and would facilitate transfer of Power from new Hydro electric projects in Bhutan and the generation linked projects in Chhattisgarh and Odisha etc. Notably, Chhattisgarh now has a total of 88 very High Tension (HT) Power Sub-centres with a development of a massive network of more than 10,000 kms of HT power line.
During the formation of the State, there were only 27 very High Tension lines, officials stated. The Chhattisgarh government has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Telangana for selling 1000 Megawatt of power to the newly formed State. The State since its formation was aware of the fact that without sufficient power availability, development is impossible. Accordingly, the Energy policies of State were formulated and executed, officials stated.
Several power generation units in Chhattisgarh have set record of ‘running without any tripping’. The Gangrel Hydel Power unit in year 2013-14 produced 43.348 million units of power which was highest since the setting up of this plant. Similarly, the small Hydel power plants have also produced 8.269 million units of electricity which is also a record.
Due to policies adopted by State government, the power generation in private sector has registered four-fold increase. Currently there are 128 captive power plants in Chhattisgarh with total capacity of 11,000 MW in 12th five-year plan government has planned to produce 20,000 MW power in Chhattisgarh. As long as 1.36 lakh kilometre increase has been registered in the power supply lines of different capacity during the last 11 years in Chhattisgarh. Since the formation of the State, about 1.50 lakh kilometre extension has so far been made in different capacity power lines in the State, officials stated.