*Tapping solar power potential remains in official files
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 20: Incredi-ble it may sound but it is a fact that four years is not sufficient time-frame for up-gradation/modernization of merely 23.3 Mega Watt (MW) Hydel Project in Jammu and Kashmir State, which otherwise is reeling under power shortage. Moreover, the State is not paying any serious attention towards the projects, which are lying defunct during the past quite long time.
According to the official information, Chenani Hydel Project Stage-I is designed for 23.3 Mega Watts while as its two other Stages for 2 MW and 7.5 MW power respectively. These three units of the project in Udhampur district were constructed to generate 110.02, 12 and 36.71 Million Units of electricity per year.
However, with the passage of time the electricity generation from all the three units came down considerably as their electro-mechanical components outlived their life. Accordingly, frequent snags in the project became a routine affair and many times the project remained shut-down for considerable period of time for want of equipments, which were not readily available in the market.
Finally, it was found imperative to start renovation, modernization and up-gradation of Chenani Hydel Project in phased manner. The Stage-I having capacity to generate 23.3 Mega Watt of electricity was taken up for up-gradation by way of replacement of machinery about four years back.
However, the up-gradation of Stage-I is yet to be completed because of dilly-dallying approach of the companies engaged for the task and non-seriousness on the part of those authorities of the Power Development Department, who were otherwise supposed to ensure speedy up-gradation work. In this way, improving generation from the Stage-I has remained a dream till date.
“The renovation, modernization and upgradation is underway” was the reply of Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh, who is also Minister Incharge Power Development Department to the MLA from Udhampur, Pawan Gupta in the Legislative Assembly today when the latter expressed serious concern over drastic reduction in power generation from Chenani Hydel Project.
According to the official sources, Stage-III is also required to be up-graded and modernized but even the Detailed Project Report (DPR) has not been prepared till date thereby indicating non-seriousness on the part of the concerned authorities. “All this indicates that four years is not sufficient time for the Power Development Department of J&K for up-gradation of project of merely 23.3 Mega Watt capacity”, sources remarked.
Similarly, there is no end to the non-seriousness towards Sewa-III HEP in Basohli tehsil of Kathua district, which is lying defunct during the past nearly three years. In August 2013 the water conductor of the project suffered extensive damages and power generation came to the grinding halt.
According to the experts, damage was caused due to wrong design of the project as there was hardly a distance of some meters between the mighty Ravi River flowing along the project and canal head.
While admitting that power from the project could not be generated since August 2013, the Minister, in reply to Udhampur MLA, said, “in order to restore this temporarily, Detailed Project Report (Civil) amounting to Rs 312.13 lakh stands framed and the works proposed in the DPR have been incorporated for the current year’s work programme”. However, no time-frame was specified for start and completion of work.
Moreover, the Detailed Project Report for permanent restoration of the project is yet to be formulated by the concerned authorities. “The fate of Sewa-III has clearly exposed the lofty slogans about initiating enough measures to tap available power potential”, sources regretted.
Similar is the fate of Bhaderwah Power House, whose generation system is out of order since April 2016. “The measures are being undertaken to restore the machinery”, claims the Minister Incharge Power without specifying time-frame for restoration of generation system.
Meanwhile, there is no major headway in tapping renewable energy/solar energy potential, which otherwise is available in abundance.
What to talk of developing solar power projects of 5000 Mega Watt capacity in Leh and 2500 Mega Watt capacity in Kargil as per the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the State Government with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, even two pilot solar projects of 5 Mega Watt each at Kargil and Leh could not be constructed till date.
Even land for these pilot projects is yet to be identified by the Hill Councils of Kargil and Leh. “If such a casual approach is towards pilot projects of 5 Mega Watts what would be the fate of solar power park of 100 MW capacity which is proposed to be brought up at Samba remains a million dollar question”, sources said.
Though much is being said about exploitation of wind energy at Bidda in Reasi district, which has a potential of about 25 Mega Watt, the fact remains that J&K Government doesn’t have the resources to meet crores of rupees required for exploitation of 6 Mega Watt in the first instance.
For tapping 6 MW wind energy potential, an amount of Rs 36 crore is required but the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has agreed in principle for a support of only Rs 9.6 crore.
“It seems that tall claims about tapping solar power energy have remained confined to the files only with no practical and serious thought about the related aspects”, sources said.
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