Ratle Hydro Electric Power Corporation Signs 40-Year PPA with Rajasthan Urja Vikas for Hydropower

The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between Ratle Hydro Electric Power Corporation Limited (RHPCL) and Rajasthan Urja Vikas, IT Services Limited has been signed on 03.01.2024 for purchase of power from Ratle Hydroelectric Project for a period of 40 years at a tariff to be determined by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC).

The Government of India has taken following initiatives to harness the hydro potential including the hydro pumped storage potential:

  1. Declaring large hydropower projects (capacity above 25 MW) as renewable energy source.
  2. Hydro Purchase Obligation (HPO) as a separate entity within Non-solar Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO).
  3. Tariff rationalization measures for bringing down hydropower tariff.
  4. Budgetary support for Flood Moderation/Storage hydroelectric projects.
  5. Budgetary support towards cost of enabling infrastructure, i.e. roads/bridges.
  6. Guidelines to promote development of Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) in the country was issued on 10th April, 2023.
  7. Waiver of Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) charges for hydroelectric projects and PSPs.
  8. Reduction of timeline by Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for concurrence of Detailed Project Report (DPR).

As per the reassessment study carried out by CEA during the period 2017-2023, the exploitable large hydro potential in the country is 1,33,410 MW. Further, the identified pumped storage potential is 1,76,280 MW.  The State/UT-wise details are attached at Annexure-I.

CEA has concurred 24 hydroelectric schemes including PSPs with an aggregate installed capacity of 15,569 MW during the last ten years. Further, 17 hydroelectric projects aggregating to 11,376 MW and 38 PSPs aggregating to 55,330 MW are under Survey & Investigation (S&I) for preparation of DPR. The State/UT-wise details are attached at Annexure-II.

ANNEXURE-I

State/UT-wise details of Hydro Potential including Pumped Storage Potential

(Installed capacity – above 25 MW)

As on 30.06.2024

CONVENTIONAL PUMPED STORAGE
Region/ State/ UT Exploitable Potential (MW) Exploitable Potential*(MW)
NORTHERN
Jammu & Kashmir 12264  
Ladakh 707  
Himachal Pradesh 18305 7260
Punjab 1301  
Haryana    
Rajasthan 411 9200
Uttarakhand 13481 1000
Uttar Pradesh 502 13440
Sub Total (NR) 46971 30900
WESTERN
Madhya Pradesh 2819 8560
Chhattisgarh 1311 8925
Gujarat 550 6140
Maharashtra 3144 42955
Goa    
Sub Total (WR) 7824 66580
SOUTHERN
Andhra Pradesh 2596 26420
Telangana 1302 8755
Karnataka 4414 7600
Kerala 2473 1200
Tamil Nadu 1785 16500
Sub Total (SR) 12570 60475
EASTERN
Jharkhand 300 1500
Bihar 130  
Odisha 2825 4795
West Bengal 809 5500
Sikkim 6051  
Sub Total (ER) 10115 11795
NORTH EASTERN
Meghalaya 2026  
Tripura    
Manipur 615  
Assam 643 320
Nagaland 325  
Arunachal Pradesh 50394 660
Mizoram 1927 5550
Sub Total (NER) 55930 6530
ALL INDIA 133410 176280

* Exploitable Potential is subject to change due to addition/deletion of project and change in Installed capacity of Projects.

ANNEXURE-II

State/UT-wise number of Hydro Schemes including Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) concurred by CEA during last ten years along with number of Projects under Survey & Investigation (S&I) for preparation of DPR

Sl. No. State/ UT Number of Hydro Electric Schemes including PSPs concurred by CEA during last ten years Number of Hydro Projects under S&I for preparation of DPR Nos. of PSPs under S&I for preparation of DPR
1 Andhra Pradesh 2 16
2 Arunachal Pradesh 5 8
3 Assam 1
4 Himachal Pradesh 5 4
5 Jammu & Kashmir 6 1
6 Manipur 1
7 Meghalaya 2 1
8 West Bengal 1 1
9 Odisha 1
10 Uttarakhand 1
11 Kerala 1
12 Rajasthan 3
13 Uttar Pradesh 4
14 Madhya Pradesh 2
15 Maharashtra 10
16 Karnataka 3
  Total 24 17 38