State seeks Central support for implementing hydel projects

Kerala has sought the Centre’s cooperation and financial support for implementing hydroelectric power projects in the State.

At a meeting with Union Power Minister R.K. Singh in New Delhi, Electricity Minister K. Krishnankutty urged the Centre to provide at least 20% of the capital expenditure on hydel projects as assistance. Viability gap funding is essential as hydel projects are expensive to construct, Mr. Krishnankutty’s office said on Tuesday.

The Centre is also favourable to taking up projects such as the 800 MW Idukki Golden Jubilee Extension Scheme and the 240 MW Letchmi project in Idukki district and the 210 MW Pooyamkutty project in Kozhikode as joint initiatives by Central-State public sector institutions. These hydel projects will also serve as flood-control mechanisms.

The water availability in the State is ample to establish hydel projects with a combined capacity of 6,000 MW. At present, the State is utilising only 10% of its annual water availability for irrigation and power generation. The State is aiming to push up its renewable power capability to 3,000 MW by 2027. This will, by then, constitute 50% of the demand.

Many hydel projects can be taken up in the State with Central assistance in terms of financial support and fast-tracking clearances from various Central ministries. At present, ten hydel projects of 29.5 MW are in various stages of construction. The State hopes to kick off work on 13 projects with a combined installed capacity of 120.5 MW soon. Seventeen projects worth 1,646 MW are in the investigation stage.

The State also urged the Centre to include additional projects worth ₹11,000 crore in the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).