Uttar Pradesh: Power Resources - 1 | Course for UPPSC Preparation - UPPSC (UP) PDF Download

The energy requirement in Uttar Pradesh is currently fulfilled by both commercial and non-commercial sources. Commercial sources encompass electricity, petroleum, coal, nuclear power, chemicals, etc., while non-commercial sources include wood, cow dung (upale), and waste materials. However, in the evolving circumstances, the significance of non-commercial energy sources is gradually diminishing, with commercial sources, particularly electrical energy, gaining increased importance.
Traditionally, electric energy production in the state relied on two main sources – water and coal. However, in response to changing conditions, there is a growing focus on developing non-conventional sources such as solar, wind, bio, waste, and geothermal energy.

History of development of energy resources in the state

The history of energy resource development in the state dates back to pre-independence times, with the establishment of thermal and hydro power stations. The 'Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board' was formed in April 1959 post-independence to expedite electrical energy development. The state's electric power situation remained satisfactory until 1997-98, after which a gradual increase in the gap between production and demand prompted organizational reforms.
The initial step in electricity reforms occurred in 1998, leading to the establishment of the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission for independent tariff determination. Subsequently, the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Reform Act, 1999, was enacted in 2000, resulting in the transfer of the Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board's properties, interests, rights, liabilities, actions, and personnel to three corporations:

1. Uttar Pradesh State Power Generation Corporation Ltd. – for thermal power generation,
2. Uttar Pradesh Jal Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd. – for hydro power generation, and
3. Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd. – for transmission, distribution, and power supply operations.

In the second phase of reforms, five distribution companies were formed, including Kanpur Electricity Supply Company Ltd. (KESCO), Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd. (PVVNL), Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd. (PVVNL), Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd. (MVVNL), and Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd. (DVVNL). Additionally, UP Power Corporation and UP Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. were separated under the UP Electricity Reform Scheme, 2010.
The franchisee system for distribution and collection in urban areas commenced in 2009, and an experimental input-based franchisee model was implemented in Agra in April 2010. Rural revenue collection through the franchisee system was initiated in 2007 across 19,077 villages in Agra, Meerut, Lucknow, and Varanasi.
Given the annual increase in electricity demand by approximately 12%, various measures are being undertaken to augment power generation in the state.

Electricity Generation

Currently, the state government relies on two primary sources for electricity production: thermal power and hydropower. Thermal power generation falls under the jurisdiction of the State Electricity Production Corporation Limited, while hydropower production is managed by Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited.

Thermal Power Generation

Established on January 14, 2000, Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd. oversees the construction, maintenance, and enhancement of thermal power plants controlled by the state government. The corporation operates 24 units at locations such as Harduaganj, Pareeksha, Anpara, and Obra.

Harduaganj Thermal Power Station :

• Founded in 1942 near Aligarh, this is the oldest power station in the state. It has units with a capacity of 220 MW each, renovated in 1967 with assistance from Russia. The 2×250 MW Harduaganj Extension-I project has commenced production, and the 660 MW Harduaganj Thermal Expansion-II project started generating power in January 2022.

Pariksha Thermal Project :

• Located near Jhansi, this project has a pre-installed capacity of 640 MW. Both units of the 500 MW Pareeksha Thermal Expansion Project are now operational.

Obra Thermal Power Station :

• Established between 1967 and 1971 with support from the former Soviet Union, this power station has a total installed capacity of 1288 MW. It is situated adjacent to the Singrauli Coal Mine in Sonbhadra. The ongoing construction of the 2×660 MW Obra 'C' Thermal Project by the state government is nearing completion.

Obra ‘C’ Thermal Project :  

• This 2×660 MW project is being constructed by the State Government. Likely to be completed soon.

Anpara ‘A’ Thermal Power Station :

• Located in Sonbhadra, this thermal power station has an installed capacity exceeding 1500 MW. Anpara 'B' thermal power station is also situated at this location.

Anpara ‘D’ Thermal Power Project :

• A 1000 MW project set up by the state government within the Anpara 'A' and 'B' projects' campus. The first unit of 500 MW was commissioned on March 31, 2015, and the second unit is expected to be commissioned soon.

Panki Expansion Thermal Project :

• The State Power Generation Corporation's 210 MW thermal project in Panki, Kanpur, closed in January 2018 after 50 years of operation. A new unit with a capacity of 660 MW is currently under construction since January 2019.

Hydro Power Generation

Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited 

• In accordance with the regulations established in the year 2000, Jal Vidyut Utpadan Nigam is tasked with overseeing the operation, maintenance, and the survey, research, and construction of all hydro power facilities (both large and small) within the state. Currently, the Corporation manages a total of 7 hydro power projects in the state. The production projects under the Corporation include:

Rihand Dam Hydroelectric Project – Located in Sonbhadra district, this project features a dam and an artificial lake named Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar on the Rihand river. It houses 6 units, each with a capacity of 50 MW.
Obra Hydroelectric Power Station – Situated approximately 25 km north of Rihand Dam in Obra (Sonbhadra), this station has a production capacity of 99 MW, with another dam built on the Rihand river.
The Ganges Power System located on the Upper Ganga Canal – Originating near Haridwar, this system comprises several small hydropower stations along the Upper Ganga Canal. The total installed capacity of these stations is 13.70 MW.
Eastern Yamuna Canal Hydroelectric Project – Multiple small hydroelectric power houses with a combined installed capacity of 6 MW have been established at Belka, Babel, etc., on the Eastern Yamuna Canal under this project.
Sheetla Hydro Electric Project – A 3.6 MW project constructed by the corporation in Jhansi. 
Khara Hydroelectric Project – The Corporation has set up this 72 MW hydroelectric project on the Yamuna Canal in Saharanpur.
Pareeksha Hydroelectric Power Station – Currently under construction near Jhansi, this project has a capacity of 2×110 MW on the Betwa river.
Rajghat Hydroelectric Project – A joint project between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, this venture is being constructed by the Corporation on the Betwa River in Lalitpur district.
Matatila Hydro Electric Project – Located in Lalitpur district on the Betwa river, this dam has a power generation capacity of 30.6 MW. Developed in collaboration with Madhya Pradesh, it supplies electricity to nearby districts in both Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Small/Minor Hydropower

Projects with a hydropower capacity of up to 25 MW fall under the category of small hydro power projects. The Central Government's MNI report for 2011-12 indicated a potential capacity of 460 MW in the state's canals, with only 25 MW small projects currently established. Consequently, in 2009, the state government introduced a Small Hydro Power Policy to encourage collaboration with private developers for the maximum expansion of small hydro power projects.

• To facilitate this, UPNEDA, the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency, has been designated as the nodal agency for hydropower projects up to 15 MW. UPNEDA is actively identifying more than 10 projects in the state.

National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)

The state currently hosts nine power projects operated by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), categorized as follows:

• Singrauli (Sonbhadra) – Coal-based
• Singrauli (Sonbhadra) – Water (Hydro) Based
• Rihand (Sonbhadra) – Coal-based
• Unchahar (Rae Bareli) – Coal-based
• Tanda (Ambedkar Nagar) – Coal-based
• Dibiyapur (Auraiya) — Gas and solar-based
• Dadri (Gautam Buddha Nagar) – Gas-based
• Bilhaur (Kanpur) – Solar-based
• Meja (Prayagraj) – Coal-based (Joint project of NTPC and the Government of Uttar Pradesh)

Meja is a joint project of NTPC and the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

Joint Venture

• Tehri Hydroelectric Project – The first phase (1000 MW) of this joint project involving Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and the Center, located at Tehri (Uttarakhand) where the Bhagirathi (Ganga) and Bhilangana rivers converge, was commissioned in 2006. Uttar Pradesh receives a share of 406 MW power from this project.
• Meja Urja Nigam Private Limited ( MUNPL ) – Established in 2008, it is a 50:50 joint venture between NTPC Ltd. and Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam. MUNPL owns the Meja Thermal Power Station, a 2×260 MW coal-based thermal power plant located in Meja tehsil, Prayagraj district, UP. Both units of the power plant have been commissioned, and the generated power is primarily supplied to UP, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Punjab, J&K, Delhi, MP, and Haryana.
• Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Ltd. ( NUPPL ) – This 51:49 joint venture between Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Ltd. and Uttar Pradesh Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd. involves a coal-based Supercritical Thermal Power Plant with a capacity of 1980 MW (3×660) in Ghatampur tehsil, Kanpur. The project is currently under construction.

Private Sector

Several private sector companies are currently involved in various projects within the state. The key projects include:

• Rosa Thermal Power Project – Located in Shahjahanpur, this coal-based project with a capacity of 4×300 MW was originally owned by the Aditya Birla Group but was acquired by the Reliance Group in 2006. The project's four units were commissioned in December 2009, May 2010, December 2011, and 2012, respectively.
• Vishnu Prayag Jal Power Project – Situated in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, this 400 MW project is established at Vishnu Prayag on the Alaknanda River. Jai Prakash Power Ventures Ltd., a private sector company, undertook the project on a contract from Uttar Pradesh. The electricity generated provides 12% as royalty to Uttarakhand, while the remaining is purchased by the Uttar Pradesh government. Power generation commenced in 2006.
• Srinagar Hydroelectric Project – Being developed by the private company M/s Alaknanda Hydropower Company in Srinagar (Pauri Garhwal), Uttarakhand, this project has a capacity of 330 MW. Inaugurated on March 3, 2014, 12% of its total production is supplied free of cost to Uttarakhand, with the rest being purchased by the Uttar Pradesh government as per the contract.
• Anpara ‘C’ Power Project – Lenco Kondapalli Ltd., a private sector company, has established this 2×600 MW thermal project in Anpara (Sonbhadra). Both units were commissioned by January 2012.
• Bara (Sangam) Thermal Power Station – Originally set up by JP Group and later taken over by the Tata Group, this 3×660 MW thermal power project in Bara Tehsil, Prayagraj, has commenced production from all its units.
• Lalitpur Thermal Power Station – Bajaj Group established this 3×660 MW thermal power station in Lalitpur, with the first unit (660 MW) commissioned in September 2015.
• Jawahar Thermal Power Project – Under construction in Malavan, Etah, this 2×260 MW thermal project is in progress.

Nuclear Power

In the realm of nuclear power, two indigenous design reactors with advanced pressurized and heavy water-based 220-220 MW capacity are operational near the Ganga at Narora in Bulandshahr district. The first reactor was commissioned in January 1991, followed by the second in July 1992. Two additional reactors of similar capacity are nearing completion.