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Summary, Conclusion and Suggestions
Summary, Conclusion and Suggestions
In this chapter an attempt has been made to sum-up the entire study
could become a fruitful activity for the state, people and managements.
7.1 SUMMARY
country. Availability of electricity has been the most powerful vehicle for
agriculture, and the improvement in the quality of life of the people basically
process. Thus, electric energy in this modern context has become a basic
broadly classified into two groups viz, renewable sources and non-
energy consumed in the world today, as they are relatively and technically
supplies. The ever increasing need to economize the use of fuel and the
development.
(pressure) like; high head power plant, low head power plants and pumped
in the list of priority in energy exploitation. The first power station for public
supply in the U.S.A. was opened in 1882 in New York. At present, more
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countries like U.S.A. and U.K. Electric power generation in India is primarily
derived from three sources: i.e., coal, water and nuclear power. Role and
and tidal is negligible, accounting for less than 1 percent of total energy
economy.
48,700 MW. The north eastern region accounts highest identified potential,
operation which utilize only about 14 to 15 percent of the total potential and
policy for power development etc., hydel power has not been developed to
based thermal power. The high initial cost and the general 'Cash Crunch'
situation of most of the State Electricity Boards have also led to low
Incremental hydel capacity addition over the years. Apart from this, the
other impediments are the bulk civil and construction work, higher risk and
The surest way to ease the power situation in India lies in harnessing
Shimla as its capital and with 12 districts, is one of the most developed hilly
larger than the all India literacy rate. Due to the varying area climate
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conditions in the state, which are suitable for growing a wide range of fruit
become the Switzerland of the East, the fruit bowl of the country and the
five river basins, only 6353 MW has been exploited so far, out of which 454
agencies. The State Government has been giving highest priority to the
Pradesh has formulated its new hydropower policy to give thrust for
(IPPs), State sector, Central sector and Joint venture. The intention behind
the State are being safe guarded while handing over projects to agencies
Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board in State sector, Satluj Jal Vidyut
Nathpa Jhakri hydropower project was the first project undertaken by SJVN
The initial cost of the project was estimated Rs. 4338 crores which
was revised in June, 1998 to be Rs. 7666.32 crores and in Sept., 2002 to
For financing the project cost, the funds were arranged from many
Himachal Pradesh and external sources includes debt taken in the form of
IBRD loan, external borrowings, and domestic borrowings. The total cost of
the project is financed in 1:1 debt equity ratio. It was estimated that the
The SJVN is also fulfilling the norms set by the H.P. State
power project and investigation work for the preparation of DPR for 636 MW
large hydel potential. 300 MW, Baspa-ll hydel project is the first hydropower
executing agency).
Pradesh.
The completion cost of the project was 1620 crores based on the
Baspa-ll is 139 and is divided into three major categories i.e., engineers,
agency engaged with the exploitation of the hydel power in the State, and
with the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948 with the purpose of promoting the
electricity with the State in most efficient and economical manner through
Since coming into existence HPSEB has indeed come a long way.
(Sanjay Vidyut Pariyojana)-120 MW is the only major project under the full
control of HPSEB till date. With the completion of the project in March 1989,
the tribal district of Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh. The Project utilizes the
water of Bhaba 'khad', a tributary of the river Satluj. It is Asia's first medium
hydro-electric project which except for its head-works, desilting tank and
as such.
The initial cost of the project was estimated at Rs. 55.84 crores and
the actual completion cost of thd project was Rs. 175.26 crores. At present,
the total number of workers working in the project is 188, as against the
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the leading agency of Central sector working in Himachal Pradesh for the
project stage-l is one of the largest project on river Ravi in Chamba district
1985 and the project was commissioned in March 1994 with the completion
Chamera-I hydel project is 372 and are divided into skilled, unskilled and
Over the last few years, hydropower project development has gained
Various issues have been raised, time and again, against large
resettlement and rehabilitation issues, time and cost overrun, radical trade
unionism etc. These issues are well known, while some of the issues have
been addressed, others are still being debated at several forums for
appropriate solution.
difference between units injected into system and the units billed to the
system. The main factors that contribute to high technical losses are low
been identified and the policy changes to mend these barriers are now
required.
7.2 CONCLUSION:
has accorded top priority from fifth plan onward because it will not only
meet the increasing power demand within the state but also bridge the gap
in the demand and supply in the northern region as a whole. Viewed in this
context, Himachal Pradesh with its vast untapped hydel potential can play a
in the industrial progress of the state. It has not only helped to increase the
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basin has not been exploited yet, which comprises nearly 13 percent of the
under the control of Central sector followed by Joint sector. HPSEB (state
In all the four major projects except Nathpa Jhakri hydropower project, the
employment.
first position as it utilizes its capacity efficiently throughout the years and its
performance has never gone below 100 percent. Whereas Baspa-ll and
Nathpa Jhakri hydel projects occupy second and third position respectively.
Hydel Project where capital invested is Rs. 175.26 crores to produce 120
MW of energy in a year.
hydropower projects has been arrived at. Capital-labour ratio is highest i.e.,
project under private sector and 120 MW Bhaba project exclusively a state
project under NHPC (Central sector executing agency) took only 9 years to
hydropower projects.
hydropower projects under study, it has also been found out that Nathpa
essential requirement for the development of the State. With the fast
stage and during the construction stage which are responsible for not
have already faced this problem, where the environmental activist resisted
more than the local residents. The common causes of such resistance are
poor local area studies, lack of communication with the affected parties in
where the residents are relocated. The cost escalation in Nathpa Jhakri
power project was mainly due to delay on account of protest for higher
Geological surprises have been yet another cause for delays in the
construction of projects. Rock slides, floods, sudden cloud bursts are some
the State, land slides have become a regular occurrence in the State.
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borrow electricity from the neighboring States in winter. The State is also
not getting the full benefit of employment from these projects as some of
stations. Sub-stations are also limited and located very far from the projects
and Government of India to reduce T&D losses by one percent every year
from the year 2002-03 onward seems achievable in the present situation.
and Kashmir and Uttaranchal also revealed that Himachal Pradesh State
Electricity Board has least T&D losses for the last five years. Himachal
Pradesh State Electricity Board has also been able to maintain the T&D
majority of local people and management agreed with the view that due to
More than half of the respondents from local people showed their
agreed with the view that projects had promoted the development of local
better road facilities etc. Management were also of the view that due to
and the land which was earlier utilized for agricultural purpose was now
levels of local people. But at the same time they were of view that it was not
did not agree to it and of the view that the hydropower projects were
Most of the people agreed that projects had helped in intensifying the
with the same and were of the view that these projects were located far
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away from urban areas in difficult hilly terrains. Therefore it took a long time
opinion that there is some change in the occupation of local people who
had lost their houses and land for the sake of setting-up of these
hydropower projects.
affected the environment to a large extent. They felt that the hydropower
projects had adversely affected the ecology of the region and had resulted
were of the view that every effort had made by the project authorities to
check soil erosion. They were also of the view that the projects had
definitely played some role in disturbing the ecology but to some extent.
authorities had done some plantation in areas surrounding the project sites,
people.
Majority of the respondents from local people and almost all the
respondents from the management were of the view that hydel projects are
helpful for the development of tourism in the areas surrounding the projects
and for the overall development of state's economy by way of earning much
needed revenue.
The projects under study have taken various measures to nullify the
projects are so immense that they substantially out weigh the costs of
7.3 SUGGESTIONS:
be given:
time. The cost incurred could be debited to the cost of the project
and recovered from the private promoters. In order to tap the vast
particular.
producer. In summer the dams are full and it sells power, but in
This pattern will continue in the future, and within the frame work of
the Electricity Act, it is in the interest of the State to enter into long-
both for domestic and agricultural use and Himachal Pradesh has
thermal power plants and nuclear power plants, which can cater to
This can improve energy situation of the state not only in its lean
made for the future 20-30 years in such a manner that a large project
operations.
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The country should boost its friendly relations with China In real
lake in China, such that the state government can take preventive
steps for any occurrence of a flood in the river and can prevent
It is well known that hydropower projects can play a very crucial role
However, these projects have not met out the expectations of local people
expectations of the local people from these hydropower projects, which can
better acceptability of the project for the local community but also on the
critical opinion by the researchers in this field. Further research can take up
a study of: