Thankfully, the Uttarakhand Government has finally realized that when it comes to electrical power it has no ‘Kuber’s Treasure’; and power like any other resource is scarce.

And the power availability situation in the state is getting worst with each passing day.
Realizing the bleak power scenario in Uttarakhand Uttarakhand plans to seek allocation of gas and coal blocks, clearance to hydel projects and transfer of 25 per cent equity of THDCIL from the Centre. Chief Minsister BC Khanduri is going to raise these issues during his imminent meeting with Union power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde at New Delhi.

How the state is tackling the Power crisis:

1) The state-owned company UJVN was setting up two gas-based power plants at Kashipur and Haridwar with a total capacity of 1000 Mw.

2) The Uttarakhand Government wants the Centre to intervene to solve the issues concerning 600-Mw Kishau and 420-Mw Lakhwar Vyasi multi-purpose projects as they are going to benefit a host of northern states including Delhi, Haryana and others.

3) As already shared above, the CM would also raise the issue of transfer of 25 per cent of equity of Uttar Pradesh in THDCIL to Uttarakhand. Notably, Uttar Pradesh had already commissioned the mega 1400-Mw Tehri multipurpose hydel project, to Uttarakhand under the 2000 reorganisation Act of Uttar Pradesh.

4) The CM will also demand 2000 Mw of free power for the state following the scrapping of two key hydel projects 480 Mw Pala Maneri and 381 Mw Bhaironghati on environmental and religious grounds in the state by the Ganga river basin authority. Notably, another major project, the NTPC’s 600-Mw Lohari Nagpala has also been scrapped, due to environmental concerns.
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