Himachal  Pioneers in Power Production: Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena

Shimla, July 12 ; Himachal Pradesh has set new benchmarks in the power production sector, showcasing innovative public-private partnership models. Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena highlighted these achievements at a stakeholders’ workshop on the proposed National Small Hydropower Policy 2024, held on Friday at Peterhoff. The workshop, chaired by Chief Secretary Saxena, also featured the presence of Bhupinder S. Bhalla, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

Saxena emphasized that Himachal Pradesh has been a trailblazer for other states in power production, particularly through its successful public-private partnership models. He noted that the state government incurs no costs on energy production; instead, it generates revenue from these hydropower projects. The proposed policy aims to rationalize plant setups, increase the contribution of small hydropower plants to electricity production, enhance rural electricity supply, promote private investment, and strengthen rural economies.

During the workshop, stakeholders discussed various challenges faced in implementing these plants, including technical difficulties, maintenance, transportation of machinery, high costs, financial aid, tax, and subsidy issues.

The policy underscores the importance of small hydropower plants, particularly those with capacities up to 25 MW, in contributing to India’s renewable energy goals. With an optimistic outlook for hydropower, the policy aims for significant capacity increases by 2030, with the public sector expected to contribute 78% to new projects and private sector 22%.