+
29% of India’s hydropower potential already utilised
POWER & RENEWABLE ENERGY

29% of India’s hydropower potential already utilised

According to information provided to Parliament, India has utilised 29% of its hydropower potential, whereas the US and the EU have produced over 80% and 70% of it, respectively. Power Minister R K Singh stated in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha that the estimated hydropower potential in the nation is approximately 1,45,320 MW (for projects with capacity above 25 MW) according to the Reassessment Study conducted by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).

According to Singh, out of the 1,45,320 MW total, 42,104.6 MW (or 29%) has been developed, while 15,023.5 MW (10.3%) is now being built. He informed the House that according to data from the International Hydropower Association (IHA), the US and the EU (European Union) have each developed more than 80% of their hydropower potential.

According to him, the country's distant position, uncertain geology, natural disasters, concerns with the environment and forests, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) issues, law and order issues, and inter-state disputes are the key obstacles to the development of its hydropower potential. Singh informed the House in a separate response that as of March 14, 2023, the country's thermal power plants had a total coal stock of 33.3 MT (million tonnes), which is only 49% of the Normative Stock Requirement.

The Central Electricity Authority's coal stocking regulations require power stations to keep a variable amount of coal on hand each month. In order to ensure that there is enough coal stock at power plants to meet demand, it was stated that the stocking norms are 20 to 26 days for non-pithead facilities and 12 to 17 days for pithead plants.

According to information provided to Parliament, India has utilised 29% of its hydropower potential, whereas the US and the EU have produced over 80% and 70% of it, respectively. Power Minister R K Singh stated in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha that the estimated hydropower potential in the nation is approximately 1,45,320 MW (for projects with capacity above 25 MW) according to the Reassessment Study conducted by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). According to Singh, out of the 1,45,320 MW total, 42,104.6 MW (or 29%) has been developed, while 15,023.5 MW (10.3%) is now being built. He informed the House that according to data from the International Hydropower Association (IHA), the US and the EU (European Union) have each developed more than 80% of their hydropower potential. According to him, the country's distant position, uncertain geology, natural disasters, concerns with the environment and forests, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) issues, law and order issues, and inter-state disputes are the key obstacles to the development of its hydropower potential. Singh informed the House in a separate response that as of March 14, 2023, the country's thermal power plants had a total coal stock of 33.3 MT (million tonnes), which is only 49% of the Normative Stock Requirement. The Central Electricity Authority's coal stocking regulations require power stations to keep a variable amount of coal on hand each month. In order to ensure that there is enough coal stock at power plants to meet demand, it was stated that the stocking norms are 20 to 26 days for non-pithead facilities and 12 to 17 days for pithead plants.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

KONE Opens India's First Digital Experience Centre in Pune

KONE, a global elevator and escalator manufacturer, has inaugurated its first Digital Experience Centre (DEC) in India, located in Pune. The facility aims to showcase how artificial intelligence (AI), connectivity and data-driven technologies can enhance customer experiences and improve building operations.The centre was inaugurated by Jussi Herlin, Executive Vice Chair, KONE Corporation; Philippe Delorme, President and CEO, KONE; and Nandan Nilekani, Co-founder and Chairman of the Board, Infosys.Designed as an interactive customer environment, the facility demonstrates digital solutions cover..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

CII GreenCo Launches Circularity Guidelines for Indian Industry

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) GreenCo Council has launched the CII GreenCo Circularity Guidelines – Pilot Version at the 17th CII GreenCo Waste & Resource Management Summit 2026 in Chennai. The initiative aims to strengthen resource efficiency, waste reduction and circular economy practices across Indian manufacturing and process industries.The guidelines introduce a structured framework with circularity indices covering raw materials, consumables, packaging and other resource inputs. These indicators will help industries assess existing practices, identify opportunities to ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

Global Electronics Association Launches IPC-1783-CO2E Standard

The Global Electronics Association has introduced IPC-1783-CO2E, a new international standard aimed at improving consistency, transparency and comparability in product carbon footprint reporting across the electronics manufacturing industry.The standard, titled International Standard for Data Collection and Reporting of CO2 Equivalent (CO2e) Emissions for the Electronics Manufacturing Supply Chain, provides industry-specific guidance for collecting, estimating and reporting carbon emissions data.With increasing regulatory requirements and customer expectations, electronics manufacturers face c..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code