HP to generate 12,000 MW of power by 2012, says Dhumal

Kullu, Feb 10 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today asserted that the state will generate about 12,000 MW of additional power by 2012 and help the neighbouring states to overcome the power crises.

Addressing a public meeting at Khalada Nallah in this district after inaugurating a motorable bridge and a four km road at a cost of Rs 1.51 crore, he said during his previous tenure from 1998 to 2003, his government had initiated construction work for generating over 10,000 MW power.

Mr Dhumal said in 2003 when his government lost the state assembly elections, the state was generating 3,838 MW of power of which was 396 MW in the government sector.

As of now, the state was generating 6,500 MW power and the government was committed to generate 12,000 MW of additional power by 2012, he said.

He also called upon the Indepedent Power Purchases Association (IPPA) to help the state in achieving the targets.

Besides big medium and other hydro electric power projects the state had 750 MW worth of mini and micro hydro power projects, most of which were below five MW, he said.

The Chief Minister said that out of 750 MW capacity, MoUs had already been signed for the execution of 247 mini and micro hydel projects, adding that implementation agreement in respect of 112 such projects had also been signed out of which 11 had started generating 31.65 MW power.

Work on 54 projects worth 180.75 MW was likely to be completed in the near future, he added.

Mr Dhumal said 71 mini and micro hydro electric projects were identified in Kullu district alone having generation capacity of 171.95 MW for which implementation agreement MOU had already been signed.

With the exploitation of the hydel potential available in the streams and rivulets of the state, the local power requirements would be fulfilled upto some level and will also supplement the power supply to different areas in the rural Himachal, he said.

Observing that his government would encourage private participation in exploitation of identified hydel potential, he said all possible cooperation would be extended to interpreneurs by his government.

He said Himachal Government had already decided to allot all projects above five MW by open competition and added that the interests of the oustees and environmental impact would be accorded top attention.

UNI XC AS PS SR DB2000