Hydro power generation at country's largest plant records 25-per cent growth

The country's largest hydro power plant, the 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station, has recorded over 25 per cent growth in power generation in the first two months of the financial year 2010-11, compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

According to H K Sharma, chairman and managing director, Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) Limited, during April and May, 2010, the power station achieved a gross generation of 1366 million units of electricity against 1086 million units achieved in the same period last year. The generation also exceeds the public sector company's MoU targets of 1228 million units by 137 million units,  he said.

The 1500 MW power station, which is the flagship project of public sector SJVN Ltd, that feeds power to the nine northern grid states, has also achieved a  plant availability factor of over 100 per cent during the period, he added.

During the year 2009-10 the power station had established an all time record by generating 7018 million units of electricity, which was more than 400 million units higher not only than the MoU targets set by the power ministry, but also than the generation achieved during the year 2008-09.

SJVN, which recently came out with an IPO of 41.5 crore equity shares, is implementing 10 hydro power projects in various parts of the country and Nepal and Bhutan, to add 4000 MW capacity.

Its 412 MW Rampur Hydro Electric Project is in an advanced stage of completion during the year 2013. The company has also entered power transmission taking up 400 KV/DC transmission line for its 900 MW Arun-III Hydro Electric Project in Nepal. It also plans to enter the wind power generation shortly.