NHPC has targeted to attain total installed capacity of 20 GW by end of 2030, according to the company’s CMD, A.K. Singh, who was addressing the company’s 44th AGM held on September 29, 2020 through video conferencing.
NHPC currently has under-construction hydropower aiming to add aggregate installed capacity of 2,800 mw. Besides, projects aggregating 5,945 mw are under clearance or approval stage. Prominent among projects under construction is the 2,000-mw Lower Subansiri project straddling Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
The 20 GW of installed capacity will include hydropower as well as other clean energy sources like solar. This will cover capacity owned by NHPC, as well as that by its joint ventures and subsidiaries.
Hydropower Acquisitions
NHPC has successfully acquired Lanco Teesta Hydro Power Ltd as a wholly-owned subsidiary company for the implementation of the 500-mw Teesta VI hydropower poject in Sikkim through Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP).
Similarly, NHPC has also been declared as successful resolution applicant by the Committee of Creditors of Jal Power Corporation Ltd, a company implementing the 120-mw Rangit Stage-IV hydropower project in Sikkim.
Floating Solar
NHPC has signed MoUs with Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha Ltd (GEDCOL) to form a joint venture company (JVC) to plan and develop techno-commercially feasible floating solar power projects of 500 mw in Odisha.
Besides, NHPC has envisaged floating solar projects of 500 mw each in Odisha and Telangana and 50 mw in Kerala under the Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks Scheme of the Union Ministry of New & Renewable Energy. (MNRE)
Ground-mounted Solar
NHPC has received in-principle approval from MNRE for enhancement of solar park capacity from 100 mw to 140 mw, in Odisha. This envisages development of two projects of 40 mw and and 100 mw. Possibilities are also being explored for development of other utility scale solar projects in Telangana (293 mw), Tamil Nadu (50 mw) and Leh (50 mw).
NHPC has issued Letters of Award to solar power developers for Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) grid-connected photovoltaic projects aggregating to 2,000 mw. Here NHPC will be procuring solar power from developers, bound by underlying power purchase and power sale agreements.
Current Capacity
According to information available, NHPC currently has an installed power generation capacity of around 7,000 mw, which predominantly includes hydropower (around 6,900 mw) as well as 50 mw each of solar and wind power capacity.
Featured photograph shows NHPC’s Uri-II hydropower project in Jammu & Kashmir
