Shillong, Feb 6: The pumped hydro storage projects have hit land hurdles.
Power Minister A T Mondal told reporters on Tuesday that land acquisition is a problem for the setting up of pumped hydro storage projects.
“Land acquisition is a problem. Therefore, we will meet people and we will pursue the matter,” Mondal said.
According to Mondal, the government will explore non-inhabitant areas.
The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has submitted a pre-feasibility report to the power department on the study it conducted on one location for setting up of pumped hydro storage projects.
The NTPC was allocated four identified locations to conduct the pre-feasibility study. Diengsong in East Khasi Hills district is one among the locations being identified for setting up the PHPs,
To a question, Mondal said, “We are studying all the feasibility reports because it will also depend on how we take up this PHPs because this also requires huge financial resources so we are working on it.”
He said so far four locations have been identified for setting up of the PHPs but it depends on land acquisition. “All the PHPs will require additional land because one dam will be in the river basin itself then another dam in the high altitude where the water will be pumped in the off peak hours and power will be generated from that upper dam during the peak hours – so all these calculations are being made also,” he said.
According to Mondal, PHP is being utilised during peak hours only. “Morning from 6 to 11 am and evening 6 to 11 pm and this is the time where the demand goes up, so like all the states in the country and also other countries, we do face a lot of difficulties to mitigate the shortage so that is why the idea is that during the off peak hours, water will be pumped, so for pumping also you need energy, so cost will be more but the thing is that availablity of power at the peak hours will be very good”, he said.
