CHENNAI: For the first time in its history, Tangedco will go the public-private partnership (PPP) way to construct pumped storage hydropower stations in Coimbatore, Theni, and Kanniyakumari districts that will have a combined capacity of 2,000 MW. It has already prepared a feasibility report in this regard.
Official source said Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji, in the Assembly last year, announced that 11 locations had been identified across the state to establish new pumped storage hydroelectric projects with a combined capacity of 7,500 MW.In phase I, the utility will install three pumped storage power plants at Coimbatore’s Aliyar (1000 MW), Kanniyakumari’s Kodayar and Theni’s Manalar (500 MW each).
A private consultant was tasked with preparing a feasibility report and obtaining terms of reference from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on December 21, 2021, and the report green-lighted the project, a Tangedco officer said. A senior Tangedco officer told TNIE that these power plants would be established in PPP model. Once the utility gets approval from the state government, the work will begin.
What’s RPO
As per National Tariff Policy, 2006, Renewable Purchase Obligation is a mechanism by which a power utility has to procure a certain percentage of electricity from renewable power sources. Now, the RPO stands at 21%, which is increasing gradually. That is why Tangedco focuses on green energy projects.
What is a pumped-storage hydroelectric power station
A pumped-storage hydroelectric power station will be built between two dams with one located at a higher elevation. The upper dam will be used for power generation. The released water will be stored in the lower dam and pumped back to the upper dam. The machine in the pumped-storage system functions as a generator and a pump. The pumped-storage hydroelectric power station in the Nilgiri’s Kundah is the only such power station in TN.