Himachal Govt Signs Deals For 19 Hydropower Projects Worth Rs 3,336 Crore

Shimla, Jun 23 (KNN) The Himachal Pradesh government has signed implementation agreements for 19 hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 278 MW and an estimated investment of around Rs 3,336 crore during the current year, officials said on Monday.

The projects range from small run-of-river schemes to medium-sized installations and are spread across several river basins in the state. 

These include the 24 MW Bharmour Stage-I, 24 MW Tundah Stage-II, 22.5 MW Harsar Stage-II, 21 MW Bharmour Stage-II and 19 MW Harsar Stage-III, among others. Smaller projects such as the 6 MW Khauli-II and 8 MW Upper Kurmi are also part of the package, according to PTI.

Stalled Projects Cancelled, Fresh Bids Invited

The state government has simultaneously cancelled allotments for 15 power projects where developers had shown little interest in implementation. The government said it is now inviting international bids for these projects to ensure speedier execution.

Broader Hydropower Pipeline

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the state government remains committed to harnessing Himachal Pradesh's hydropower potential, estimated at around 24,000 MW. 

Construction has already been completed on 189 projects with a combined installed capacity of 12,588 MW. A further 54 projects totalling 1,528 MW are currently under construction, while 526 projects with a combined capacity of 7,539 MW are at various stages of approval.

The Chief Minister also noted that construction of the 150 MW Tidong Stage-I Hydroelectric Project has been completed. The state has additionally signed a memorandum of understanding with Geo Tropi India Pvt Ltd for the exploration and development of geothermal power projects.

(KNN Bureau)