2. Electricity produced from the water is called the
hydropower or hydro-electric power. The falling water
turns the water wheel or the turbine and electricity is
generated. It is the most convenient and versatile form of
energy. It plays a key role in agriculture and industrial
development and nation's growth and productivity can be
analyzed through the quantity of its energy consumption.
3.
4.
5. India is given much emphasis on generation of hydro-
electric power from major hydro and mini hydel projects.
These hydel projects also help in irrigation and fish
culture. Hence they are called multipurpose projects.
6. The Major Hydro Electricity Projects in India:
Sivsamundra project of the river the Kaveri in
Karnataka was the first major hydro-electric project in
Asia. It was constructed in 1902.
7. Then many major hydropower projects came into
being. During first five year plan, much emphasis was
given on generation of hydroelectricity and construction
of a number of major river valley projects. Some of the
important major hydropower projects are discussed
below.
8. The Bhakra Nangal project, on the river the Sutlej, with its
four power stations at Nan gal, Bhakra, Ganguwal and Kotla is
an important hydro power project. It has an installed capacity of
1.2 million KW. It supplies electricity to Punjab, Haryana and
Delhi.
1. Bhakra Nangal project:
9. The Damodar valley project, with its three hydel power stations
at Tilaiya, Matron and Panchet is built on the river the "
Damodar. It has an installed capacity of 104 mw (megawaits)
electricity. It supplies power to Bihar and West Bengal.
2. The Damodar valley project:
10. The major hydroelectricity power project in Orissa is the Hirakud
Dam Project on the river the Mahanadi. Its capacity of
generating power is 270.2 MW. The Rourkela Steel Plant mainly
gets power supply from it.
3. The Hirakud dam project:
11. It is essentially a hydroelectric project. It has an installed
capacity of 300 MW. On the boarders of Uttar Pradesh and
Madhya Pradesh water is stored in form of a large lake and
power is generated.
4. The Riband project:
12. On the river the Chambal, two power houses are constructed,
one at Gandhi Sagar Dam in Madhya Pradesh and the other
one at Kota in Rajasthan. The total installed capacity from both
the power houses is 180 MW.
5. The Chambal valley project:
13. It is one of the largest projects in Maharashtra. The water of the
Koyana, a tributory of the Krishna is utilized for power
generation. The total capacity installed is 540 MW. It supplies
electricity mainly to Bombay-Poona industrial belt.
6. The Koyana hydro electric project:
14. This is a joint collaboration of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
The power house is built on the river the Tungabhadra.
7. The Tungabhadra project:
15. .
Apart from these, there are other projects
like the Gandak hydroelectric project on the river
the Gandak, and Parambikulam Aliyar on the
river the Periyar. Some hydroelectric projects are
there that are either completed or are on the
verge of completion.
Dulhasti, Uri and Salal (stage-II) (all in Jammu
and Kashmir) hydroelectric projects, Chamera
Stage-I (Himachal Pradesh) and Tanakpur
hydro-electric project (UP) are important among
them
16. Gandak hydroelectric project Parambikulam Aliyar
Dulhasti, Uri and Salal (stage-II) Tanakpur hydro-electric project (UP)
