CEA Expedites PSP Approvals, Sets To Develop Two New Projects

To ensure the rapid commissioning of Hydro Pumped Storage Projects (PSP), the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has granted concurrence to two projects: the 600 MW Upper Indravati project in Odisha, developed by OHPC Ltd (a Government of Odisha Undertaking), and the 2000 MW Sharavathy project in Karnataka, developed by KPCL (a Government of Karnataka Undertaking).

CEA has also received numerous proposals for Hydro PSPs, totaling around 60 GW, currently under survey and investigation and at various stages of Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation. To expedite the concurrence process, the CEA has revised its guidelines to simplify the DPR preparation process. The major highlights of the revised guidelines are:

1. Document Checklist: A checklist of required documents for examining various aspects of DPRs has been included. The previous checklist has been shortened.
2. Online Submission: Developers can now submit the DPR online after completing the first 12 design chapters. Some chapters have been eliminated, making the DPR shorter.
3. Cost & Financial Chapters: There is no mandatory requirement for the approval of these chapters. They only need to be submitted for reference and record.
4. Off-Stream Hydro PSP: There is no requirement to submit an alternative location plan for reservoirs as per the revised process.
5. Developer Undertaking: Developers must provide an undertaking that the submitted DPR is in line with pre-DPR clearances issued by the appraising groups of CEA, CWC, GSI, and CSMRS. This eliminates the need for re-examination of the DPR, saving approximately 4 to 5 months in the concurrence process.
6. Early Excavation Permission: The process for granting early excavation permission at the developer’s risk and cost has been streamlined, allowing developers to begin site work in advance, saving around 6-8 months in project execution.
7. Timely Investigations: Developers are advised to carry out investigations promptly and submit reports, saving around 1 to 2 months.

According to the National Electricity Plan (Generation), India has a potential of about 176 GW of Hydro PSPs, with 4.7 GW currently operational, 4 GW under construction, 3.6 GW concurred (with construction yet to start), and around 60 GW under survey and investigation.