Central Electricity Authority (CEA) accords concurrence to two Hydro Pumped Storage Plants

Newdelhi:2/8/24:India needs Hydro Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) to support faster energy transition with large-scale integration of renewable capacity in the country and also ensure energy security.

To ensure that Hydro PSPs get commissioned on a fast track, thereby accelerating the growth of India’s renewable energy and energy storage capacity, Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has accorded concurrence to two Hydro PSPs namely, 600 MW Upper Indravati in Odisha being developed by OHPC Ltd (A Government of Odisha Undertaking) and 2000 MW Sharavathy in Karnataka being developed by KPCL (A Government of Karnataka Undertaking) in record time. CWC, GSI, CSMRS, and the stakeholders have jointly fully supported CEA in mission mode.

CEA has also received huge number of proposals for Hydro PSPs (worth around 60 GW), under Survey & Investigation, which are at various stages of preparation for DPR. After preparation of DPRs, these PSPs will be uploaded by the developers on the ONLINE Portal (https://ceaclearance.gov.in/hydro/) for concurrence by CEA under section 8 of Electricity Act, 2003. CEA assures faster concurrence of these PSPs, which is need of the hour to fulfill the energy storage demand of the country.

To fast-track the concurrence process of PSPs in line with the ease of doing business drive of Govt. of India, CEA has further revised the guidelines to simplify the process for preparation of DPRs of PSPs and its concurrence.

The major highlights of the revised guidelines are:

1.         Inclusion of Checklist of Documents required for examination of various aspects of DPRs. The earlier checklist has been shortened.

2.         The developers are now allowed to submit the DPR online with completion of first 12 design chapters. Some of the chapters have been dispensed with. So the DPR has been made shorter.

3.         No mandatory requirement of approval of Cost & Financial Chapters. These chapters to be submitted only for reference and record to meet the requirement of the Act.

4.         For stream Hydro PSP, there is no requirement to submit the alternative location plan for reservoirs.

5.         Inclusion of an undertaking from developer stating that the DPR submitted is in line with pre-DPR clearances issued by the appraising groups of CEA, CWC, GSI, CSMRS. This obviates the requirement of again sending the DPR for re-examination. This is expected to save around 4 to 5 months in concurrence process.

6.         The process for giving the early excavation permission at the risk and cost of the developers has been streamlined so that advance action can be taken by the developers to start the work at the site. This is expected to save around 6 to 8 months in the execution of the project.

7.         The developers have also been advised to carry out the investigations in time and submit the investigation reports to all the appraising agencies so that parallel activities can be done by the appraising agencies. This is also expected to save around 1 to 2 months.

The government has prioritized the development of Energy Storage Systems, particularly PSPs to ensure the energy security of the country. As per Nation Electricity Plan (Generation), the installed capacity of Energy Storage Systems including BESS is projected as 74 GW by 2031-32. It is worth mentioning that there is potential for about 176 GW of Hydro PSPs in the country, out of which 4.7 GW are under operation, 4 GW under construction, 3.6 GW concurred (construction to be started) and around 60 GW under survey and investigation.

CEA with support of CWC, GSI, CSMRS, MoEF&CC, and the Hydro PSP developers will endeavour to achieve this requirement in Mission mode.