Key Points:-
- Hydropower is mainly located at hilly area.
- Hydroelectric power plant is economical, renewable and conventional.
- The amount of electrical energy that can be generated by a hydroelectric power plant depends upon quantity of water.
- Hydropower cannot produce continuous power supply.
- Potential of Nepal:
Gross Potential: 83 GW
Technical Potential: 44 GW
Economical Potential: 42 GW
- Highest hydropower potential of Nepal is Karnali and Mahakali river basin i.e (32000 MW + 4000 MW = 36000 MW)
- Hydropower currently supplies around 17% of the worlds total electric power supply.
- Potential of world:
Gross Potential: 38,607 TWhr/yr
Technical Potential: 14,605 TWhr/yr
Economical Potential: 8,772 TWhr/yr
- Installed capacity in world:
World: 1416 GW
China: 421 GW
Brazil: 110 GW
USA: 102 GW
Canada: 83 GW
Nepal: 3 GW
- Nepal first hydropower plant was Pharping hydropower plant in 1911 AD capacity (500 KW).
- First hydropower of Nepal from private sector is Khimti in 2000 AD by HPL capacity (60 MW).
- License for hydropower projects are:
Survey: 5 yrs (Period)
Generation: 30 yrs (Export)
35 yrs (Domestic) …..+ 5 yrs (incase of Hydrological condition)
Transmission: 15 yrs (add 10 yrs)
- Types of hydropower in Nepal:
PROR:
a.Upper Tamakoshi (456 MW)
b. Kaligandaki (144 MW)
c.Marshadi (69 MW)
d.Middle Marshandi (70 MW)
Storage:
a. Kulekhani (60 MW)
- World hydropower plants:
1.Three George Dam Hydropower (22.5 GW)
2.Baihetan Dam (16 GW)
3. Itaipu Dam Hydropower (14 GW)
References:
- Dandekar, M. M., & Sharma, K. N. (2010). Water Power Engineering. Vikas Publishing House.
- Punmia, B. C., Pande, B. B. L., Jain, A. K., & Jain, A. K. (2016). Irrigation and Water Power Engineering. Laxmi Publications.
- Singh, Bharat (2018). Fundamentals of Hydrology and Hydropower Engineering. Nem Chand & Bros.
- Central Water Commission, Government of India (2019). Handbook on Hydroelectric Engineering.
- International Energy Agency (IEA) (2021). Hydropower Status Report. Retrieved from www.iea.org
- Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) (2022). Annual Report on Hydropower Projects in Nepal. Retrieved from www.nea.org.np
- United States Bure