First Tidal Power Station Likely In Sunderbans

Ushering in a new era of tidal power, the country's first station to generate power using tidal waves is likely to be set up on the Durgadawani river in the Sunderbans. The project is now under the scrutiny of experts from the department of oceanography and two IITs.

The Union government has also contacted Russian experts who are expected to visit the project site shortly.

Although slated to be on a small-scale, generating just three megawatt of power, the station is expected to pioneer a tidal power station wave in remote water-lined areas of the country.

At an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore, the expenditure involved in setting up the thermal power station would appear steep in comparison with the cost of a thermal power station at under Rs five crore.

 

However, in the long run, a tidal power station proves cheaper given the zero fuel cost that it enjoys.

Again, since such stations feed only local demand, the economics of setting up such stations in remote areas works out to be cheaper. Transmission line costs to bring electrical energy to distant islands -- like in the Sunderbans -- are dispensed with, and tidal energy will not have to be connected to the main grid. Tidal power can, thus, be delivered to the consumer through low voltage distribution lines alone, without any investments in transmission.

The state government is, however, moving cautiously on the tidal power project as it is as yet unsure as to how the river will react after civil constructions are completed. Elaborate model studies will be made before the final design of the power project is finalised.

The first project report to set up tidal power stations in the country was prepared by Professor Wilson -- a Canadian expert -- in the early 1970s on behalf of the West Bengal State Electricity Board (WBSEB).

Wilson had then identified several other sites in the Sunderban area for setting up more tidal wave power projects. However, the state government did not then evince interest in these projects.

The renewable power generation project has received a new lease of life following recent realisation that such stand-alone power projects are the only solution to provide electricity in remote areas, including the Sundarban islands. The country's largest bio-mass gasifier project inaugurated last week at Gosaba island is also a power project of renewable resources. Since the Durgadwani river, where the tidal power project is to be located, is close to Gosaba island, the tidal power will also benefit the inhabitants of the island.

France which has been a pioneer in tidal power stations, has not been building such stations any more.

The Union government has also contacted Russian experts who are likely to visit the site shortly. The project is expected to spur a tidal power station wave