Thaindian News

By Vishal Gulati
Shimla, June 24 (IANS) Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (SJVN), the hydro-power generation company promoted by the Centre and the Himachal Pradesh government, plans to spread its wings abroad, a top official said. SJVN has signed a pact with the Nepal government to set up a 402 megawatt power project there, and is currently testing waters in Georgia and Bhutan, its chairman and managing director H.K. Sharma told IANS.

Sharma said SJVN has been invited by a Georgian company to execute a 765 megawatt hydro-power project.

“We are also exploring possibilities in Bhutan, which has the same Himalayan geology,” he said. “Today, SJVN has the expertise to take up mega hydro ventures anywhere in the world.”

A team of experts from Bhutan recently visited SJVN’s 1,500 megawatt Nathpa Jhakri project in Himachal Pradesh, and had shown willingness to assign projects to his company, Sharma said.

Nathpa Jhakri, SJVN’s maiden project, commenced commercial generation from its six units of 250 megawatt each in September 2003.

During the last financial year, SJVN had registered a record power generation of 6,448 million units (MUs).

This year, Sharma said the company has targeted a generation of 6,600 MUs.

Last year, SJVN earned a profit of Rs.7.15 billion on a turnover of Rs.15.73 billion.

“India has a huge potential for hydro projects. Only 30 percent of potential has been tapped so far. We are keen on broadening our base in the north and north-east,” he said.

Currently, the SJVN is executing the 755 megawatt Luhri hydel project in Shimla district and the 1,020 megawatt Khab project in Kinnaur district of Himachal.

In Uttarakhand, three other projects - the Devsari project in Chamoli, and the Nitwar Mori and Jakhol Sankri projects in Uttarkashi - are under execution.