With the twin objectives of promoting non-fossil fuel based green energy and accelerating the process of industrialisation in eastern Uttar Pradesh, the state government is contemplating to set up three hydro power projects with installed capacity of 3,250 megawatts.
The hydro plants, to be established by the private sector, will be located in the districts of Sonbhadra, Chandauli and Mirzapur.
The three hydroelectric projects will encompass an investment of nearly Rs 15,000 crore and create about 10,000 new job opportunities. The state government has already given in-principle approval to the proposed hydroelectric plants.
The peak hour power demand in Uttar Pradesh has crossed 28,000 MW and the annual growth in power demand is over 10 per cent. Thus, the state is faced with the urgent need to harness cheap alternative and renewable energy sources to augment thermal power generation.
Additionally, these projects are expected to transform the socio-economic landscape of the three districts, stimulating growth in various sectors, including infrastructure, housing, tourism, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), logistics, education and more.
Two pumped storage hydropower (PSH) plants in Chandauli and Mirzapur districts, with capacities of 900 MW and 600 MW, respectively, requiring a total land area of 670 hectares are to be set up by the private sector. A Gurugram-based company has already signed an agreement with the UP government in April 2023 for these projects.
PSH functions like a battery, storing power and releasing it as needed, based on the demand and supply matrix. It consists of two water reservoirs at different elevations, generating power as water flows from one to the other (discharge), passing through a turbine. The PSH system utilises power to pump water back into the upper reservoir (recharge). Importantly, since these projects are not connected to any river system, they do not disturb the local water ecology.
The hydro power project in Sonbhadra district will be based on water supplied from the river Son. The land requirement for this project has been assessed at 375 hectares.
Uttar Pradesh has set a goal to generate 22,000 MW of renewable energy over the next five years from sources including solar energy.
The state government is also keen to explore green hydrogen potential, in alignment with the Centre’s initiative. Green hydrogen, produced by breaking down water in an electrolyser using renewable energy, can be combined with nitrogen to create green ammonia. This process avoids the release of planet-warming hydrocarbons. Green ammonia serves as an energy storage medium and is also used in the production of fertilisers.
