Srinagar, June 10 (Scoop News) –Principal Secretary, Power Development Department Sudhanshu Panday has said that Government has taken several initiatives to harness the huge hydro power potential of the State to make it not only self reliant but also to provide electricity to other states of the country.
This was stated by Principal Secretary while briefing the media persons at a press conference about holding of 2-day International Hydro Power Convention commencing from tomorrow here at SKICC.
Managing Director, JKSPDC, Basharat Ahmad Dhar, President , India TECH Foundation, Indra Mohan and Executive Director, JKSPDC Zahoor Ahmad Chat were present on the occasion.
Mr Sudhanshu said the purpose of holding such a convention here was to highlight J&K’s strategy and initiatives taken to harness State’s huge hydro power resources and showcase it as a lucrative investment destination for hydro power projects besides deliberate on policies, practices and perceptions of hydro power project development. He said the major issues confronting protecting and preservation of environment would also come up for the discussion in the convention.
Mr Panday said renowned power experts, developers, business companies from all over the world are attending the convention to deliberate on harnessing energy in the Himalayan region with special focus on J&K.
Mr Sudhanshu said that the issues relating to planning and designing of the projects and other related matters will also come up for discussion in the conference. He said it is purely a professional conference being organized by India TECH Foundation and J&K State Power Development Corporation is the nodal agency for providing all requisite support to the organizers to make the event a success one. He said the conference will provide an opportunity to the State Government to raise issues confronting the state in harnessing vast available hydro potential.
Principal Secretary hoped that this endeavour would provide a sufficient information about the latest trends in hydro power development as well as the hydro power potential in the State and would also enthuse the developers to take up harnessing the J&K’s hydro power potential of over 20,000 MWs.
Basharat Dhar said that JKSPDC under the guidance of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who is also Chairman of Corporation, has planed massive capacity addition of about 6000 MWs of hydro power in next 10 years in the State, which have started fructifying. He said contract for 450 MW BHEP IInd has been finalized and work is in progress. He said bidding process for 37.5 MW Parnai , 48 MW lower Kalanai, 93 MW new Ganderbal, 9 MW Hanu and 9 MW Dah is in advance stage and work is expected to commence soon on these projects.
Mr Dhar said in case of Sawlakote HEP, the water availability and power potential has been approved by Central electricity Authority for 1856 MW against earlier envisaged capacity of 1200 MW. He said the DPR of this project along with that of 240 MW Kirthai-I and 990 MW Kirthai-II are under appraisal, adding that tender process for both the projects is also commencing soon.
M.D said the Corporation is actively involved in implementation of 600 MW Kiru, 500 MW Kawar and 1000 MW Pokal Dul in joint venture with NHPC and PTC. He said the interests of the State are being watched and safeguarded by the Corporation in this regard. He said the generation sector is a panacea for the economic stability of the State and the JKSPDC management is completely focused on capacity addition through construction of new projects.
Dhar said a new power Policy-2011 has been notified and 10 projects with aggregate capacity of 172 MW have been advertised, adding that more projects are being offered for private developers in the State through competitive bidding.
MD said many new initiatives like restructuring of the Corporation, enterprise resources planning and cadre building has been started to make the organization well rounded and professional body capable of living up to its potential as the harbinger of prosperity of the State. He said about 27 sites currently performing on-line transaction and remaining sites are also go on live soon.
He said JKSPDC are being adopted five ITIs in public private partnership mode in the State. He said a hydro institute is also being set up at Kangan in association with NHPC to train the local youth in power sector for better employment opportunities.
President, India TECH Foundation, Indra Mohan said that electricity is vital for our county’s economy, which is acknowledged as one of the world’s fastest growing economies. He said India TECH Foundation has been organizing National Hydro Power Conventions since the year 2006 to emphasize the need to focus on harnessing, environmental friendly hydro power, which is vital for meeting out country’s peaking power requirements. He said so far the Foundation has organized 6 International Conferences on Hydro Power in and outside the country.
Mohan said, this year the 7th Hydro Power Convention is being organized at Srinagar keeping in view the vast hydro power potential of nearly 25000 MW in the State, out of which less than 10 percent is being harnessed so far. He said J&K certainly offers a very substantial opportunity for the industry to tape this potential.
Mr Indra said the objectives of this convention are to focus on harnessing hydro power opportunities and challenges in hydro power rich regions and States besides to highlight reform initiatives of the State Governments, where hydro power conventions were held to showcase latest technologies, expertise and management practices to accelerate sustainable harnessing of hydro power. He hoped the Convention, with its well planned programme, would certainly succeed in achieving these objectives.