Over the past plan period the proportion of hydro plants in the total capacity has witnessed a decline. Hydro generation capacity as a proportion of total installed capacity went down from 46 per cent by the end of Third Plan to about 41 per cent by the Fifth Plan period. The hydro capacity further fell to 29 per cent during the Seventh Plan period and is now at just 25 per cent of the total generating capacity.
India has a substantial hydro electric potential estimated at 1,50,000 mw and only about 17 per cent of this potential is being tapped, as against utilization of almost 58 per cent of hydel potential by Norway, 41 per cent by Canada and 31 per cent by Brazil.

As the total installed capacity is planned to be enhanced by an additional 1,00,000 mw over the Tenth and Eleventh plan periods (till 2012) hydro generation capacity will have to go up from around 24,000 mw at present to over 80,000 mw for achieving the desired mix. The capacity level as on August 21, 2001, was 1,02,267.16 mw.

The Union power ministry’s endeavour to correct the hydro-thermal generation mis from the present ratio of 25:75 to an “equitable” ratio of 40:60 by 2012 is likely to fall short of target. While 55,000 mw of hydel power needs to be installed to achieve the desired mix, the ministry is planning an addition of only 30,000 mw over ten years.

HYDRO-THERMAL MIX CURRENT STATUS
(OPTIMUM RATIO 40:60)
(in per cent) Hydro Thermal Nuclear
Ist Plan 35 65 -
IIIrd Plan 46 54 -
Vth Plan 41 57 2
VIIth Plan 29 69 2
IXth Plan 25 71 4?
By end of XIIth
Plan (till 2012) *(nuclear + wind 40 55 4*

ADVANTAGES OF HYDRO POWER

? A renewable source of energy-saves scarce fuel reserves.
? Non-polluting and hence environment friendly.
? Long life – The first hydro project completed in 1897 is still in operation.
? Cost of generation, operation and)maintenance is lower than the other sources of energy.
? Ability to start and stop quickly and instantaneous load acceptance/rejection makes it suitable to meet peak demand and for enhancing system reliability and stability.
? Has higher efficiency (over 90%) compared to thermal (35%) and gas (around 50%).
? Cost of generation is free from inflationary effects after the initial installation.
? Storage based hydro schemes often provide attendant benefits of irrigation.

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