Damodar Valley Corp to set up India's largest pump storage hydel power

DVC had initially conceived it as a normal hydel power project but shelved it as it became unviable

Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) on Friday said it has decided to set up the country's largest pump storage hydel power project of 1,500 MW at an estimated cost of Rs 52 billion.

"We are preparing to build six 250MW pump storage hydel power plants (1,500MW) at Lagu Pahar on Bokaro River which will be the largest in the country and possibly even in Asia," DVC chairman P K Mukhopadhayay said at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organised 'Energy Conclave 2018'.

He said the initial report was encouraging to pursue the Rs 52 billion project as it will primarily act as storage facility for the huge grid connected solar capacities which are coming up without any storage facility.

"We will act as storage facilitator for them against a user fee," Mukhopadhayay said.

Initially, DVC had conceived it as a normal hydel power project but shelved it as it became unviable.

"Standalone hydel power plant is not viable unless we serve the solar power sector," Mukhopadhayay explained.

Having received the initial environment clearance, DVC is now preparing to invite bids for Detailed Project Report (DPR) which may cost Rs 40-45 crore.

Speaking on power export to Bangladesh, Mukhopadhayay said DVC is confident of beginning export in a month frim now, right after a last mile transmission network issue gets resolved.

A PIL had been filed with the Supreme Court against DVC and NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN) to stop the export of 300 MW to Bangladesh.

"We have heard that a PIL had been filed but that will not deter us from exports which will commence within a month. The contentions don't block us," Mukhopadhayay said.

He said that DVC is not just a thermal power generator but has hydel (both from own sources and trading) besides solar, which is why it is also a distribution company.

"We have more than 300MW hydel and 120MW of solar so we will export from pool power and not just from one paticular plant. So, we will reply accordingly," Mukhopadhayay said.