India’s 21 GW Small Hydro Potential Can Drive Clean Energy Expansion: MoS Naik

New Delhi, Sep 10 (KNN) Small Hydro Power (SHP) can contribute to India’s energy security, decentralised generation, employment and socio-economic development in remote areas, Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy and Power Shripad Yesso Naik said.

Addressing the Curtain Raiser Programme for the dedicated SHP session at the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026 in New Delhi, Naik said India’s assessed Small Hydro Power potential stands at around 21 GW across more than 7,100 identified sites, while only about 5.2 GW has been harnessed.

He said appropriately designed run-of-river projects, wherever technically and environmentally feasible, can provide renewable power with relatively less land requirement and avoid the large-scale submergence and displacement associated with major reservoir-based projects.

Naik said SHP can provide renewable electricity closer to consumption centres, strengthen decentralised generation and support employment and local economic opportunities in remote areas.

The Minister highlighted the proposed Small Hydro Power Development Scheme for 2026-27 to 2030-31, with an outlay of Rs 2,584.60 crore and a target of around 1,500 MW of new SHP capacity. The scheme will also incentivise States to prepare Detailed Project Reports for about 200 projects.

He called for greater coordination among the Central and State Governments, developers, financial institutions, technology providers and investors, along with policy certainty, streamlined approvals and improved project bankability.

The dedicated SHP session at the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026 will be held from November 2 to 5 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, and will focus on policy reforms, investment, financing, technology and partnerships.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi said delays in forest, environment and right-of-way clearances affect project execution and called for a mechanism to generate and escalate alerts in cases of undue delays.

Sarangi also stressed the need for long-term patient capital for SHP projects and urged the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) to work with banks and multilateral development institutions, including the Asian Development Bank and World Bank, to improve access to such financing.

(KNN Bureau)