Power Ministry issues clarification on appraisal of hydro and pumped storage DPRs

The Ministry of Power has issued an office memorandum outlining the appraisal process for Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of hydro and pumped storage projects that do not require concurrence from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).

The memorandum clarifies that DPRs submitted to the CEA before the exemption took effect may still be reviewed if requested by developers. Projects submitted after the change can also be appraised by the CEA on request. For such cases, the CEA may seek inputs from the Central Water Commission (CWC), Geological Survey of India (GSI), and Central Soil and Materials Research Station (CSMRS).

Hydro projects with an estimated capital expenditure above Rs 3,000 crore will continue to need CEA concurrence. Off-stream closed-loop pumped storage projects remain exempt from this requirement, irrespective of project size, though developers may still approach the CEA for technical guidance.