Tamil Nadu plans small hydropower projects on major rivers

The Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation (TNGEC) is planning to set up small hydropower plants on major rivers such as Cauvery and Vaigai, as well as smaller rivers like Adyar and Cooum, which will utilize the run-off water during the monsoon season. This initiative is part of the state’s new small hydropower policy.

TNGEC plans to conduct feasibility studies on various riverbeds for hydropower plants with capacities ranging from 100 kW to 10 MW. These proposals come after the Tamil Nadu government approved three green energy policies on August 13, 2024, aimed at encouraging private firms to generate electricity for their own use.

Tamil Nadu’s current energy infrastructure includes nearly 1,000 substations, with plans to assess the need for additional substations as the state expands its renewable energy capacity. TNGEC is also focused on developing new solar plants under a hybrid system that combines wind and solar power on the same land. The state aims to build solar plants with a capacity of 10,000 MW and hydropower plants to generate 1,050 MW by 2030. Currently, Tamil Nadu operates 47 hydropower plants with a combined capacity of 2,321.90 MW and solar units generating 7,995.53 MW.