NHPC awaits clearance for projs worth over Rs 59,000 crore

The 1,000 MW Pakaldul, 660 MW Kiru and 560 MW Kwar projects are located in J&K

State-run NHPC, a potential candidate for disinvestment, is awaiting clearances for ten projects, including joint venture initiatives, worth over Rs 59,000 crore.

 

Out of the ten projects, having a cumulative generation capacity of 8,801 MW, five are being implemented by NHPC while the remaining ones are joint ventures.

 

Ten projects, entailing total investments of Rs 59,429.62 crore, are at various stages of getting clearances, according to a recent presentation made to analysts' by NHPC.

 

The actual expenses could be much higher since the cost estimates mentioned in the presentation were made earlier, some dating back to 2008.

 

NHPC alone is working on five projects -- having total generation capacity of 5,115 MW -- spread across Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Uttarakhand.

 

Tawang-I (600 MW) and Tawang-II (800 MW), coming up in Arunachal Pradesh, is estimated to together cost about Rs 10,936 crore. The cost projections were made in May 2010.

 

The 3,000 MW Dibang project was estimated to cost about Rs 15,886 crore as per projection made in November 2007.

 

For the 520 MW Teesta-IV plant in Sikkim, the cost estimated in July 2009 was around Rs 3,595 crore.

 

Further, the 105 MW Kotli Bhel-IA project in Uttarakhand is anticipated to cost about Rs 2,046 crore based on November 2012 estimates.

 

As per the presentation, the company is awaiting clearances for five joint venture projects and three of them are coming up in Jammu & Kashmir. The remaining two are to be set up in Manipur.

 

The 1,000 MW Pakaldul, 660 MW Kiru and 560 MW Kwar projects are located in J&K.

 

The Pakaldul plant is expected to cost about Rs 9,756.99 crore as on March 2012. Based on projections made in January last year, the Kiru and Kwar projects are estimated to be worth around Rs 4,068.13 crore and Rs 4,375.50 crore, respectively.

 

In Manipur, NHPC along with its joint venture partners are developing two projects -- 1,500 MW Tipaimukh and 66 MW Loktak D/S.

 

Going by September 2008 estimates, Tipaimukh plant would cost Rs 8,138.79 crore. The Loktak D/S plant is expected to be worth Rs 627.21 crore as per projections made in October 2006.

 

Currently, NHPC has an operational capacity of 5,702 MW.

 

Meanwhile, the government plans to sell 11.36 per cent stake, or over 120 crore shares, of NHPC through Offer For Sale (OFS) in the domestic market.

 

NHPC saw its profit after tax slump to Rs 2,348.22 crore in the last financial year compared to Rs 2,771.77 crore posted in 2011-12 period.