Dehradun, 29 Dec 2008

Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (UJVNL) has received nearly 1,000 applications in response to its invitation of bids for micro, mini and small hydel projects under the new power policy.

With the deadline for submission of bids ending yesterday, top UJVNL officials today said the response was tremendous. “We have received nearly 1,000 applications,” said S K Rastogi, UJVNL General Manager.

UJVNL had invited bids for micro, mini and small hydel projects in the state, mostly through the self-identified route. Bids were also invited for at least 10 identified projects.

UJVNL, which had initiated the bidding process in September, repeatedly extended the dates to accommodate more people. Besides, to attract a favourable response, the state government too relaxed various conditions related to the net worth, turnover and cash components.

After facing problems in kicking off big hydel projects, the government is trying to focus on micro, mini and small hydel projects in the hill state with an aim to generate 1,100 Mw. It is also giving preference to local entrepreneurs and gram panchayats in building micro and mini hydel plants, with a slew of sops under the new power policy announced earlier this year.

“We are also giving various incentives, including loans from banks and subsidies, to local entrepreneurs,” said an official.

Hydro power projects have been grouped in three broad categories — micro, mini and small. Projects with capacity up to 100 Kw will be categorised as ‘micro’ and ‘mini’, while projects with capacity between 5 Mw and up to 25 Mw will be categorised as ‘small’.

Under the government provisions for self-identified projects, developers can identify projects, prepare the detailed project report (DPR) and ask for allotment. In the other category, the state or state-sponsored agencies can identify the projects of any size, prepare the DPR and allot them.

However, small projects will be open to all with no reservations for any category and open competitive bidding.

News Source: http://www.business-standard.com

Dehradun, 28 Dec 2008

Uttarakhand has sought 13 per cent free power from the proposed 6,000-Mw Pancheshwar hydel project, which is being developed by India and Nepal on the river Kali.

Justifying the demand, Chief Minister BC Khanduri, who met Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde in New Delhi, said Uttarakhand should be given 13 per cent free power from the proposed dam since most of the reservoir would fall in the hill state, affecting a large number of people.

In this regard, he pointed out that 80 per cent of the area affected by the dam would fall in the two districts of Champawat and Pithoragarh.

Official sources here said a Panchewshwar development authority comprising top officials from Nepal and India waa also being set up. The authority is being established to expedite matters related to the project as well as its detailed project report (DPR). The project was proposed on the basis of the 1996 Mahakali Treaty. An investment of Rs 30,000-40,000 crore is proposed for the project.

During the meeting, Khanduri expressed concern over the delay in start of the multi-purpose Kishau hydel project. Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC), which is developing the mega 2400-Mw Tehri dam, has evinced a keen interest to build the 600-Mw Kishau hydel project, which has been hanging fire for the past two decades.

For the past few months, THDC has been constantly in touch with top state government officials to get the final contract in this regard.

The move follows an accord between Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh over the multi-purpose Kishau project. The two states agreed in July that the company which would build the project would divide the royalty equally as well as sell the remaining 88 per cent power to them for the tariffs decided by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC).

News Source: http://www.business-standard.com