PrashantNews
Buoyed by its stellar performance in the last 4.5 years, the UJVN Ltd, a state-run power company, on Tuesday announced an eight year old mega plan to make Uttarakhand a power surplus state by adding more than 3000 Mw of green energy.
In the last 4.5 years, the UJVN has managed to complete 148.5 Mw of hydropower projects which include 120 Mw Vyasi in Dehradun, 15 Mw Madhyamaheshwar in Rudraprayag, 5 Mw Suringaad in Pithoragarh and 4 Mw Kaliganga-I and 4.5 Kaliganga II in Rudraprayag.
Under the new plan, the UJVN said it would enhance its power capacity from 1426 Mw to 3155 Mw in the next eight years by completing all its projects which are in various stages of implementation. Through this plan, the revenue would also be almost tripled from Rs 964 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 3050 crore in 2031-32, UJVN Managing Director Sandeep Singhal said.
In the plan, UJVN said it has incorporated 15 hydropower projects including the under-construction 300 Mw Lakhwar project. Other big projects include 600 Mw Ichchari PSP, 120 Mw Sarkari Bhyol Rupsiabagar, 114 Mw Sela Urthing, 81 Mw Arakot Tiuni, 72 Mw Tiuni Plasu. Both Arakot Tiuni and Tiuni Plasu projects have been given to UJVN after the state Irrigation department failed to make any headway on the two projects.
“We are optimistic that Uttarakhand will become a power surplus state in the next 8 years which will fulfill its long-cherished dream of becoming “urja Pradesh” (power state)”, Singhal noted. He said the new plan has been chalked out after getting instructions from Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
He said the bidding for the civil work of the 72 Mw Tiuni Plasu has been already been completed. The bidding for 120 Mw Sirkari Bhayol Rupsiabagar would also be completed by next month.
UJVN has entered into a joint venture with THDCIL which has been allocated five hydropower projects.
In addition to this, the RMU work of old projects – 90 MW Toloth in Uttarkashi district and 51 MW Dhalipur in Dehradun district have been completed. These projects are now producing full power despite completing their 35 years of age.
The UJVN is also conducting a feasibility report to produce the potential of harnessing power through pump storage projects (PSP) on the lines of Tehri hydel project where THDCIL is constructing 1000 Mw of one such project.