The draft National Electricity Plan (Generation - Volume-1) published by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has listed Kerala among the States with the potential for developing small hydropower.
Kerala has an estimated small hydro potential of 647.15 MW, the report said, citing Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) data. Projects with installed capacities of up to 25 MW fall within the definition of ‘small hydroelectric projects’ (SHEP).
At the national level, the estimated small hydro potential is 21,135.37 MW from 7,135 power generation sites, the draft plan, published in September, noted. Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir account for nearly half of it. Other 'potential States' are Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh.