India develops 29% of its hydropower potential

A total of 10.3% are under construction.

India has developed 42,104.6 megawatts (MW) of hydropower projects with a capacity above 25MW, or 29% out of the country’s 145,320MW potential, according to the Ministry of Power.

In a statement, the ministry said 10.3% or 15,023.5MW of the potential is under construction.

It cited remote location, unpredictable geology, natural calamities, environment and forest issues, Rehabilitation and Resettlement issues, and law & order and inter-state issues as the main challenges in developing India’s hydropower potential.

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The government has implemented measures to push hydropower development in the country such as declaring large hydropower as a renewable energy source, and the provision of hydro purchase obligation separately within the renewable purchase obligation.

The measures included the notification of tariff realisation measures, the provision of budgetary support for enabling infrastructure, the notification of a “Dispute Avoidance Mechanism to expedite contractual disputes, the notification of guidelines to reduce the incidence of time and cost over-run in the projects, and the waiver of the Inter State Transmission charges on electricity from new projects.