25 GW Hydro & Pump Storage Projects Yet to Start in India

New Delhi, Dec 9 (PTI) Around 26 hydroelectric and 5 pumped storage projects totalling 25,234 MW capacity are yet to be taken up for construction in the country, Parliament was informed on Monday.

According to a written reply to Rajya Sabha on Monday, setting up power generation plants in the country is a delicensed activity but if the capital expenditure exceeds Rs 1,000 crore, then the project requires the concurrence from Central Electricity Authority (CEA) under Electricity Act 2003.

"Accordingly, 26 HEPs with aggregate installed capacity of 19,214 MW and 5 PSPs with aggregate installed capacity of 6020 MW in the country have been concurred by CEA which are yet to be taken up for construction," Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shripad Naik said in the written reply.

In a separate reply, the minister said till date, works amounting to Rs 4,281 crore have been sanctioned for electrification of 9,49,548 households including Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) under PM-JANMAN (Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan) and tribal households identified under DA-JGUA.

Further, under New Solar Power scheme, works worth Rs 49 crore have been sanctioned for 9,863 households for off-grid solar-based electrification.