United Nations

The electricity generated by the project is being exported to the northern regional grid via the Northern Regional Load Dispatch Centre (NRLDC). The northern grid comprises Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh states.

Contribution to Sustainable Development

A Local Area Development Authority (LADA) has been formed by the Himachal Pradesh Government to oversee the environmental management of the project and the implementation of the Environmental Management and Local Area Development Plan (EMLAD). The activities of the LADA are to be financed by setting aside 1.0 % of the total project cost.

The project is consistent with the future plans of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) of the Government of India to establish 10,000 MW of Renewable Energy projects by 2012.The Project is also being developed in line with India’s National Electricity Policy. Section 5.2.5 of the policy outlines the Government’s emphasis on the full development of feasible hydro potential in the country. In addition the Ministry of Power has outlined several policy measures to accelerate the capacity addition from hydroelectric-projects.

Contribution of the project activity to sustainable development

The additional contributions of project activity towards sustainable development are explained with indicators like contributions to social, economic, environmental and technological well-being aspects as follows:

Contribution to Social Wellbeing:

• The electricity generated by the project reduces the carbon intensity of the northern regional grid by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases on a per MWh basis across the entire system.
• The Local villages partially depend on firewood for their daily energy needs, leading to forest degradation, soil erosion and reduction in soil fertility.Increased availability and reliability of power supply from this project to the villages is further reducing the need for firewood.

Contribution to Economic Wellbeing:

• The project is generating local employment during the operational phase. Local roads are being constructed as part of this project improving access for local villages transporting apples (local cash crop) from presently inaccessible apple orchards to main roads.
• The project doesn’t compromises access to the river resources for downstream users as provisions have been made for at least 15 % of the minimum inflow observed in the lean season to be released as sacrificial discharge downstream of the diversion structure throughout the year.

Contribution to Environmental Wellbeing:

• The project results in minimal disruption to the local environment as it is a run-of-river hydro scheme that does not require the formation of a reservoir.
• The project results in a reduction in air borne pollutants, such as oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulphur, carbon monoxide and particulates, through a reduction in the combustion of fossil fuels.
• There are no adverse effects on aquatic wildlife or fish health expected. There is no potential loss in aquatic production such as fish and other useful animals and plants on site, up and down stream of the project site.
• The project activity is not expected to impact on native fish migration patterns, as no significant changes in the velocity of water currents are anticipated and hence no changes in the ambient conditions for aquatic fauna are expected to occur.

Contribution to Technological Wellbeing:

• The project activity demonstrates harnessing hydro potential in difficult terrains and in small streams in the Himalayan region.
• The project activity also demonstrates the opportunities available for cleaner energy technologies and many more projects may come up in future as a result of the project activity.

For more information on this project, please click here

For more information on the social benefits of the project, please click here