Thiruvananthapuram: Faced with increasing power demand, the Kerala Government is set to implement a novel project that envisages generating 6155 MW of electricity by recycling water being discharged from 13 dams of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).
The Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT) is set to sign a pact with the Public Sector Enterprise THDC India Ltd for the project implementation.
However, experts have raised doubt over its validity, citing that the pact would amount to a violation of the provisions of the Electricity Act. There is a legal hurdle to transferring the right to pump water to the dams owned by the KSEB to another agency. The KSEB is not authorized to hand over its assets to another party in its capacity as a ‘Company’.
Now the only way to implement the ambitious project is to obtain a prior sanction from the Electricity Regulatory Commission.
As per the draft agreement, the water being discharged from Kakki-Moozhiyar, Chenkulam-Kallarkutty, Ponmudi-Kallarkutty, Kallarkutty-Lower Periyar, Sholayar-Edamalayar, Peringalkuthu-Edamalayar, Sholayar-Parambikulam, Kakkayam-Peruvannamoozhi, Siruvani-Kanjirappuzha, Siruvani-Malampuzha, Pallivasal, Edamalayar and Idukki hydroelectric power stations will be used to produce 6155 MW electricity.
THDCIL (formerly Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited), is a company jointly owned by the Government of India and the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The Central Government’s policy seeking to increase solar and wind power generation may result in significant fluctuations in the country’s power distribution network in the next two years, the reason being the changes in the power generation output from such stations. In this scenario, the Centre encourages the setting up of maximum hydroelectric stations to strengthen the country’s power distribution network and is ready to extend funds for the same. The THDCIL was formed to utilize the huge potential in the sector.
High-level committee to monitor the project
As per the draft agreement, a 74 % stake in the company formed by pumping stations will be owned by THDCIL. ANERT will hold the rest. The Chairman of the new company will be the THDCIL Chairman itself.
The cost of the power generated under the project will be higher since it requires electricity to pump back the water discharged from the hydroelectric power stations to the upper reservoirs. A high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary, and with members including the Principal Secretary (Power) will be constituted to monitor the project implementation.
