The state having an immense potentiality in energy sectors with its stocks of water resources.

Assam produces very limited amount of electricity in comparison to countrys scenario.

Assam has a hydropower potential of the order of 541 MW against which only about 2.00 MW has been harnessed so far from the Bordikharu Small Hydropower Project (that remains inoperative since April 1999 due to technical snag) The Government of Assam (GOA) has decided to encourage generation of power through small hydropower (SHP) sources of energy and has framed a policy so that the development of this sector serves as an engine to achieve the objective of promoting the all-round development of the region by inducting private participation. All Hydropower projects/stations with an installed capacity of up to 25 MW are eligible under this policy ....................................................................................................................................................

http://practicalaction.org/micro_hydro_expertise

http://www.scribd.com/doc/77003423/Assam-Hydro

http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/renewable-energy-from-slowwater-currents/

http://www.chelseagreen.com/content/the-generation-of-renewableelectricity-project-micro-hydro/

http://ludens.cl/paradise/turbine/turbine.html

http://www.microhydropower.net/basics/intro.php

http://cleangreenenergyzone.com/advantages-of-a-micro-hydro-powerplant/

http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/renewable-energy-from-slowwater-currents/

http://www.tifac.org.in/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=420&Itemid=205&limitstart =1

http://www.tifac.org.in/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=420&Itemid=205&limitstart =1

Micro-hydro: the basics

"Run of the river" systems do not require a dam or storage facility to be constructed. Instead they divert water from the stream or river, channel it in to a valley and drop it in to a turbine via a pipeline called a penstock.

The turbine drives a generator that provides the electricity to the local community. By not requiring an expensive dam for water storage, run-of-the-river systems are a low-cost way to produce power. They also avoid the damaging environmental and social effects that larger hydroelectric schemes cause, including a risk of flooding. Water from the river is channelled through a settling basin, which helps to remove sediment that could harm the turbine. The water then flows into the Forebay Tank where it is directed downhill through a pipe called a penstock. When the water reaches the bottom, it drives a specially designed turbine to produce the electricity.

Whats the environmental impact?

Unlike traditional power stations that use fossil fuels, micro-hydro generators have practically no effect on the environment. And because they dont depend on dams to store and direct water, theyre also better for the environment than large-scale hydro-electric stations. In fact, by reducing the need to cut down trees for firewood and increasing farming efficiency, micro-hydro has a positive effect on the local environment.

The power to recharge communities

Micro-hydro power can also be supplied to villages via portable rechargeable batteries. People can use these convenient sources of electricity to fuel anything from workshop machines to

domestic lighting and there are no expensive connection costs. The batteries are charged at a station in the village, thus providing the local community with a clean, renewable source of power. For industrial use, the output from the turbine shaft can be used directly as mechanical power, as opposed to converting it into electricity via a generator or batteries. This is suitable for agroprocessing activities such as milling, oil extraction and carpentry. Micro-hydro schemes are owned and operated by the communities they serve, with any maintenance carried out by skilled members of that community. So they provide employment in themselves, as well as providing the power to re-energise entire communities.

88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 88888888 Power-starved Assam now puts thrust on developing small hydro power projects through public-private-partnership (PPP) mode to make a big difference on the state's power scenario.
Today, two implementation agreements for two small hydro power projects of 2MW and 5MW each, to be developed by private sector, were signed in the presence of Assam power minister Pradyut Bordoloi and senior officials of the power department and Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB). With this, the state hopes to rope in more private players in the power sector to help Assam improve its power scenario. Bordoloi said that at least 8 other small hydro projects, to be developed by private sector or through public private partnership mode, are in the pipeline for which the implementation agreements will be signed in the next 8 to 10 months. He said that with the implementation of "cluster of small projects" within next 4 months, the state would get around 250 MW of power. As the power deficit in the state was increasing steadily, the Assam government in 2007 had drafted a new hydro power policy to facilitate the entry of private sector in developing power projects up to 25 MW. Given that small power projects are entitled to incentives under the North-East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP),sponsored by the Centre, the state government hopes to make Assam a preferred destination for investment by private sector for small power projects. The state government had formed a special purpose vehicle called Assam Power Projects Development Company Pvt. Ltd. (APPDCL) with equity participation from Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (ILFS) to help promote private sector role in small power generation projects. APPDCL is entrusted to undertake project preparatory activities like identifying the project, preparation of detailed project report, facilitating various clearances, obtaining approval for power purchase and use of transmission network, select private partner to implement the project and so on.

"The government is putting thrust to the development of small hydro power projects which are feasible in Assam and does not create social issues like displacement and rehabilitation," said Bordoloi. Citing a recent Central Electricity Authority (CEA) load survey, the minister said that the present peak hour demand of 1,000 MW would shoot up to 1,600 MW by 2011-12 and 2,700 MW by 2014-15 in Assam. Hence, he justified allowing private sector to invest in small power generation projects in the state, as otherwise the state alone will not be able to generate enough to meet the projected demand. 888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 888888888888

Micro hydro power is a Avery good source of clean alternative energy. It is a source of energy that is both efficient and reliable. The concept of micro hydro power is similar to the old water wheels a picture of which you may have seen in some books. These water wheels were installed to use the force of running water to run mills and machinery. Micro hydro power generators use the same principles but with the use of modern technology they have become more efficient and versatile. They are essentially small scale water turbines. To really appreciate the idea of using them one must know the advantages and disadvantages. Also there are a few misconceptions about using them that need to be cleared. Misconceptions Before going into the pros and cons of using a micro hydro electric power plant the misconceptions surrounding their use need to be cleared. It is wrongly believed that small streams lack the force to generate enough power. In fact very little flow of water and drop are needed to run these units. There are many people who think the power generated from the micro hydro electric generators is unreliable and of poor quality. Nothing can be further from the truth. In fact they can be more reliable than the main power supply and because of the use of latest state of the art technology they can generate power of a very high quality. Also contrary to common belief these units don't need large water reservoirs to run them. The normal flow of water in streams is enough to run their micro turbines. Advantages There are many benefits of using a micro hydro power plant. It provides a very efficient and reliable energy source. Very little flow of water is needed to run it. You will be surprised to learn that as little as 2 gallons per minute of water flow in the stream is required to generate power and the drop required is only 2 feet. The unit can deliver electricity to locations one mile away making it very useful for even remote areas. The quality of the power is mostly

better than the general grid and it is more reliable. It is also very cost effective as the electricity generated is cheap and a small system can be purchased for as little as $1000. The micro hydro generator can also be integrated with the power grid and hence if you have a larger micro hydro power plant with electricity to spare then you can sell it for a profit. Disadvantages Although the advantages of micro hydro power far outweigh the disadvantages it is necessary to be aware of them. It may not always be possible to get a stream within a mile of the point of consumption. Another disadvantage is that if the flow of the stream is not much then it may not be possible to add capacity when the demand increases. There is possiblility of reduction of water flow in the stream and getting less power from the micro hydro power unit during the summer months.
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SMALL HYDRO POWER PLANTS

Small and micro or nano hydropower schemes combine the advantages of large hydro on the one hand an decentralized power supply, on the other. They do not have many of the disadvantages, such as costly transmissions and environmental issues in the case of large hydro, and dependence on imported fuel and the need for highly skilled maintenance in the case of fossil fuelled plants. Moreover, the harnessing of small hydro-resources, being of a decentralised nature, lends itself to decentralised utilization, local implementation and management, making rural development possible mainly based on self-reliance and the use of natural, local resources. There are in fact many thousands of small hydro plants in operation today all over the world. Modern hydraulic turbine technology is very highly developed with the a history of more than 150 years. Sophisticated design and manufacturing technology have evolved in industrialised countries over conventional technology the last 40 years. The aim is to achieve higher and higher conversion efficiencies, which makes sense in large schemes where 1 percent more or less may mean several MW of capacity. As far as costs are concerned, such sophisticated technology tends to be very expensive. Again, it is in the big schemes where economic viability is possible. Small installations for which the sophisticated technology of large hydro is often scaled down indiscriminately, have higher capital cost per unit of installed capacity. On the other hand environmental impacts due to small hydro stations are generally negligible or are controllable because of their size. Often they are non-existent.

Small hydro power plants are in large majority connected to the electricity grids. Most of them are of the run-of-river type, meaning simply that they do not have any sizeable reservoir (i.e. water not stored behind the dam) and produce electricity when the water provided by the river flow is available but generation ceases when the river dries-up and the flow falls below a predetermined amount. Power can be supplied by a small (or micro) hydro power plant in two ways. In a battery-based system, power is generated at a level equal to the average demand and stored in batteries. Batteries can supply power as needed at levels much higher than that generated and during times of low demand the excess can be stored. If enough energy is available from the water, an alternating current (AC) direct system can generate power. This system typically requires much higher power level than the battery-based system. Small hydropower in developing countries, on the other hand, implies decentralisation. Energy produced is usually supplied to relatively few consumers nearby, mostly with a low-tension distribution network only. Small hydro schemes have different configurations according to the head. High head schemes are typical of mountain areas, and due to the fact that for the same power they need a lower flow, they are usually cheaper. Low heads schemes are typical of the valleys and do not need feeder canal. Of the numerous factors which affect the capital cost, site selection and basic lay-out are among the first to be considered. Adequate head and flow are necessary requirements for hydro generation.

Most hydro power systems require a pipeline to feed water to the turbine. The exception is a propeller machine with an open intake. The water must pass first through a simple filter to block debris that may clog or damage the turbine. The intake is usually placed off to the side of the main water flow to protect it from the direct force of the water and debris during high flow. High safety standards in construction works are often not necessary, even the rupture of a small dam would not usually threaten human life, and the risks are smaller anyway if initial costs are kept down. This makes it possible to use mainly local materials and local construction techniques, with a high degree of local labour participation. Small hydro systems can require more maintenance than comparable wind or photovoltaic systems. It is important to keep debris out of the turbine. This is done by reliable screening and construction of a settling basin. In the turbine itself, only the bearings and brushes will require regular maintenance and replacement.

COST OF SHPP
Hydropower plants are characterised by high initial capital-investment (according to World Bank total costs are between USD 1800 and USD 8800 per kW for heads from 2,3 to 13,5 m and USD 1000 to USD 3000 for heads between 27 and 350 meters.) and low operation and maintenance cost. The investment costs include: Construction (dam, channel, machine house), Parts for electricity generation (turbine, generator, transformer, power lines), Other (engineering, ground property, commissioning).

Usually equipment for low head and low output becomes very costly and equipment cost ranges from 40 to 50 % of total cost in conventional hydro installations. As far as costs of civil construction-components are concerned, no standard cost unit can be given. Dams, canals and intakes will obviously cost a very different share of the total for different sites. Much depends on the topography and the geology, and also on the construction method applied and the materials used. Just to mention some examples the total cost of new small hydro power plants in Germany was 10-16 DM/W (5-9 ECU/W) and are divided in most cases 35% (construction) - 50% (electricity parts) - 15% (other). There are of course some differences between countries e.g. costs of 8 kW turbine (Banki type with regulation) in Czech republic is 4000 USD , equivalent to 3500 ECU or 0,45 ECU/W. The high investment costs is the largest barrier in development of small hydro power schemes. Despite this obstacle and long pay-back times (7-10 years in some countries e.g. Slovakia) small hydro power plants are often cost-effective because of their long life-time (often more than 70 years) and low maintenance costs. As a general rule, total costs of operation and maintenance without major replacements account for approximately 3 to 4% of capital costs for small and micro-hydropower installations.

THE CONTEXT FOR SMALL HYDROPOWER STATIONS Decentralised, small power demand; small industry, individual farms and enterprises, rural communities. Low tension distribution networks and eventually sub-regional micro-grid systems. Individual, co-operative or communal ownership with semi-skilled labour requirements and co-operative administration. Short gestation period with local materials and skills applicable depending on potential, it can make a considerable impact on the quality of rural life. Its flexibility regarding adaptation to quick load variations makes it a favoured component in any integrated power system. Plants can last for very long time. Some are more than 70 years old and still in operation. Plants commissioned recently may show even longer life span and thus can serve consumers over several generations without polluting the atmosphere. Investment in small hydro power have proved to be safe and secure over several decades.

SMALL HYDRO POWER PLANTS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

In developing countries the domain where small hydropower can potentially have an important impact on development is in domestic lighting and in providing stationary motive power for such diverse productive uses as water-pumping, wood and metal working, grain milling, textile fibre spinning and weaving. While much of the discussion is concerned with the generation of electricity, it must be recognised that the same source of power can perform mechanical tasks directly via gears and belt drives, very often more

economically. Emphasis is on the use of currently available know-how, using simple equipment that can be made locally, and the use of local construction materials and techniques. The aim is to reduce capital costs as far as possible. Rather than scaling down large-scale technology, this may lead to a more appropriate upgrading of local technology for larger schemes at a later stage.

CHINA
The construction of small hydropower stations has been a very meaningful in the past 25 years. Besides the development of large resources, much emphasis was given to small-scale developments resulting in an estimated 100.000 stations around the vast countryside with installed capacity approaching 10.000 MW. The first large-scale campaign to establish many small waterworks started in 1956. An ambitious plan called for the construction of 1000 small stations of a multi-purpose character, combining irrigation, flood control and power generation, in one year, reaching a total capacity of 30 MW. Although industrial capability permitted construction of large turbines, and the range under which small hydropower falls in China was extended to 12 MW, this indicates that construction of very small units continued. In fact, a range of miniature turbine-generators with outputs from 0,6 to 12 kW was developed, suitable for scattered mountain villages with small hydropower resources. The development activities in this field were entirely relying on local resources -materials, skill and labour - and the results achieved are from this perspective even more impressive. Hydropower development in China faces some major natural obstacles. The regional distribution of resources is very uneven and concentrated in regions that are thinly populated. Flow variations in many rivers are considerable. The maximum recorded flood flow in the Huang Ho river was 88 times larger than the minimum discharge and in smaller rivers this ratio is likely to be much higher.

MICRO HYDRO SYSTEMS

Microhydro systems are defined as hydroelectric systems that produce less than 1000 Watts. At the high end, microhydro systems produce enough power to run three electrically efficient households. No other form of renewable energy is so reliable or powerful for what it costs. Micro hydro system means that the site has either very little fall or very small flow of water, but probably not both. At sites with lower flow rates, systems are usually tied to a battery bank and configured to produce direct current. With larger hydro resources, systems may be configured to produce alternating current without the use of a battery bank. These systems must be able to directly power peak loads. In some case excess power produced is transferred to an alternate load such as a hot water heater. A hydropower turbine appropriate for household use can be bought for about USD 1000. These simple units are about the size of a breadbox and use a rewired automobile alternator to produce direct current. The direct current is used to charge batteries, then converted to AC power with an inverter. A typical micro hydro installation diverts a small portion of stream flow across a screen into a water storage e.g. 200 litre drum. The drum acts as a settling basin and the screen collects debris from the water which may clog the intake to the turbine. The water flows from the drum to the turbine through PVC piping (usually 5 to 10 centimetres in diameter), and then returns to the stream. Additional costs for piping, controls, batteries, and wiring vary depending on the particular application, but range from USD 1000 to USD 5000. Micro hydro turbines come in two basic forms. One uses an alternator, just like an automobile. The other (nano hydro systems) uses a permanent magnet (permag) generator/motor. The alternator based machines are for larger systems producing from 100 to 1000 watts, while the permag units are best suited to systems producing

under 80 Watts. Larger systems use shunt diversion for regulation. This prevents overspeeding of the turbine and premature wear of parts. Smaller systems use regulation schemes that unload the alternator when power is not needed. In all cases, these controls need to be user adjustable. Micro hydro systems are easy to fit with batteries. The turbine produces constant power all the time. The battery acts as a flywheel to smooth out the inevitable peaks of consumption. Micro hydros refill the batteries almost immediately after even a little power is consumed from the battery. These systems are shallow-cycling and ordinary batteries will last a long time. Usually spending money on good pipe and an efficient turbine is more effective than spending it on batteries. In a microhydro system the length and diameter of the pipe must be specified to suit the situation and the turbine. Using long runs of small diameter pipe will make even the finest turbine ineffective.

NANOHYDRO - PERMAG

What sets nano hydro systems apart from other hydro generators is the use of permanent magnet generators for the power source. The advantage to this is that no power is fed back into the machine to electrically generate a magnetic field, as is the case with most alternators, so all of what is produced will feed the batteries. The disadvantage of a permag set-up is that the maximum output is limited by the inherent strength of the magnets. Normally thats not a problem in a nano hydro situation because usually flow and head of water are too small for a larger, more powerful system anyway.

BATTERY-BASED SYSTEMS

Most micro and nano hydro systems are battery-based. They require far less water than AC systems and are usually less expensive. Because the energy is stored in batteries, the generator can be shut down without interrupting the power delivered to the loads. Since only the average load needs to be generated in this system, the pipeline, turbine, generator and other components can be much smaller than those in AC system. For conversion of DC battery power to AC output (type of power needed by most of home appliances) inverters are used. The input voltage to the batteries in battery-based system usually ranges from 12 to 48 Volts DC. If the transmission distance is not long then 12 V system is used. For longer transmission distances higher voltage is used.

AC SYSTEMS
Alternating current (AC) hydro power systems are those used by utilities, but it can also be used on a home power scale under the appropriate conditions. In home power scale system power is not sent to the utility grid, but is directly used by a homeowners appliances (load). AC system does not need batteries. This means that the generator must be capable of supplying the continuous demand, including the peak load. The most difficult load is the short-lasting power surge drawn by motors in refrigerators, washing machines and some other appliances. Usually in typical AC system, an electronic controller is keeping voltage and frequency within prescribed limits. The output from hydro power plan can not be stored and any unused power is sent to a shunt load, which can be e.g. a hot water heater. There is almost always enough excess power from this type of system to heat domestic hot water and provide space heating as well.

PUMP AS TURBINE

High costs of equipment and civil works, or more generally, the capital-intensive nature of small hydropower plants, has long been a major constraint. However, in many situations it is necessary not only to achieve a better relation of costs compared to other energies, but to reduce them in absolute terms. This is possible to some degree by standardising equipment, but the scope for using such standardised equipment remains limited since no two sites are exactly the same. Efforts at cost reduction through indigenous manufacture are more promising, largely due to much lower labour costs. To make this possible, standards of design, performance and sometimes reliability must be lowered and all unnecessary sophistication avoided. The same is true in civil construction work, where local materials and techniques should be used to the largest possible extent. In developing countries and especially in rural areas, it is generally recognized that small hydropower may play a significant role. However, high initial investment costs of small hydropower plants have restricted rapid development of this energy potential in many countries. The use of standard pumps as turbines (PAT) may often be an alternative with a considerable economic advantage and might therefore contribute to a broader application of micro-hydropower. Direct drive of machinery, electricity generation (in parallel to a large grid or isolated) or combinations of these are possible just as with a conventional turbine. The

only difference is that a PAT cannot make use of the available water as efficiently as a turbine due to its lack of hydraulic controls.

FIELDS OF APPLICATION OF PUMPS USED AS TURBINES

Pumps (rotational fluid machines) are completely reversible and can run effectively as a turbine. Standard pumps not intentionally designed to operate as turbines are now more and more used in small and microhydropower schemes due to their advantages mentioned above. However, performance in both modes are not identical although the theory of ideal fluids would predict the same. Without exception, the optimum flow and head in the turbine mode is greater than in pumping mode. The main reason for this difference is related to the hydraulic losses of the machine. Applications of PAT range from direct drive of machinery in agro-processing factories and small industries (flour mills, oil expellers, rice hullers, saw mills, wood and metal workshops) to electricity generation both in stand-alone and grid-linked stations. In most instances, no design changes or modifications need to be made for a pump operating as a turbine provided that selection has taken into account the higher operating head and power output of the machine in turbine mode and consequently, nominal turbine speed has been taken well below maximum permissible pump speed. However, a design review is also required to check any adverse effects occurring from the reverse rotation in turbine mode. Advantages of PAT the investment costs of PATs may be less than 50% of those of a comparable turbine (especially for small units below 50 kW). This might be an important issue for projects with limited budgets and loan possibilities construction: the absence of a flow control device, usually felt as a drawback, is at the same time an advantage since the pump construction is usually simple and sturdy availability: due to their widespread application (irrigation, industry, water supply), standard pumps are readily available (short delivery times) and manufacturers and their representatives are world-wide present spare parts: spare parts are readily available since major pump manufacturers offer after- sales services almost throughout the world maintenance: no special equipment and skills are required. Disadvantages No hydraulic control device: therefore, a control valve must be incorporated in the penstock line (additional costs) to start and stop the PAT. If the valve is used to accommodate to seasonal variations of flow, the hydraulic losses of the installation will increase sharply. wer efficiency at part load: a conventional turbine has an effective hydraulic control (adjustable guide vanes, nozzles or runner blades) to adjust the machine to the available flow or the required output. If PATs are operated at other than the design flow, i.e. below their best efficiency point a relatively rapid drop of efficiency will occur. The disadvantages of PATs can be reduced to a minimum if the PAT is very carefully selected and only applied where justified. Poor performance due to an inappropriately selected machine or application will lead to a reduction of gains. Summed up over the entire lifetime of the machine, this reduced output might by far offset the cost advantage of the PAT (lower investment costs) in comparison to a conventional turbine.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PUMPS AND TURBINES

Pumps are usually operated with constant speed, head and flow. A pump is therefore designed for one particular of operation (duty point) and does not require a regulating device (guide vane). Ideally, the duty point coincides with the maximum efficiency of the pump. Turbines operate under variable head and flow conditions. In an small hydro power plant, flow must be adjustable to either accommodate to seasonal variations of the available water or to adjust power output according to the demand of the consumers. Adjustable guide vanes and/or runner blades (or nozzles controlled by a streamlined valve) regulate the flow.

TYPE OF PUMP TO BE USED AND EFFICIENCY IN TURBINE MODE

Virtually any type of pump may be used as turbine. However, the main advantage of a PAT, i.e. lower costs than a conventional turbine, is very pronounced for standard centrifugal and mixed flow pumps whereas axial flow pumps are less advantageous in that respect. The vast field of different pump designs and power ranges provides a suitable PAT for almost any application with heads from about 10 m up to several hundred meters. Large flows may be accommodated with double-flow pumps. Even submersible pumps may be used as PATs which, when integrated in the water course or pipe system, are completely

hidden away underground, an important factor for the conservation of the environment. Efficiencies of pumps used as turbines may be the same as in pump mode but are more often several percent (3 - 5%) lower. Direct drive of machinery, electricity generation (in parallel to a large grid or isolated system) or combinations of these are possible just as with a conventional turbine. Although the PATs cover a wide range of the small hydropower domain, they cannot replace conventional turbines everywhere. Since PATs have no hydraulic control device such as guide vanes, they are usually unsuitable to accommodate variable flow conditions. Throttling flow by means of a control valve in the penstock is inefficient and only applicable over a small range. The lack of a hydraulic control device of a PAT has long been seen as a disadvantage also in terms of constancy of PAT speed under variable load. Grid-linked electricity generation or direct drive of machinery are either constant load applications or do not require precise speed control. These applications are therefore very suitable for PATs. Stand alone electricity generation on the other hand requires some form of governing to keep voltage and frequency within acceptable limits under changing load. The use of PATs in free-standing electricity generation is, however, not excluded due to the recent development of electronic load controllers which provide effective governing in conjunction with both induction and synchronous generators. Electronic load controllers keep the load on the PAT constant by switching in ballast loads whenever the electricity demand of the consumers drops.

HYDRO RAM PUMP

Hydro ram is not an animal but a self-driven pump first installed at the turn of the century when they were popular with farmers who had natural water courses on their land. With the coming of grid electricity and mains water, many rams were left to rot and rust in the post-war period. Nevertheless this device is a useful source of cheap energy even today. Ram pumps do not produce electricity but the mechanical work for pumping water to higher elevations. They use a downhill water pressure to pump a portion of that water higher uphill to a holding tank. No other source of power is needed. The hydro rams are complete in themselves and designed to work with the minimum of attention, and to suit all the ordinary conditions. The hydro ram has proved to be one of the most reliable devices used for water pumping. Many over 100 years old are still in use, and it remains one of the few really practical and efficient uses of renewable energy today. Hydro rams are relatively cheap, will last almost indefinitely and with no moving metal parts and its simplicity require only minimum of maintenance. If the two essentials are provided a supply of water (spring or stream, as little as 4 litres per minute will suffice) and the ability to provide a fall for that water the hydro ram can reduce or even eliminate costly water bills. Typical uses of hydro rams include : Village water supplies Irrigation Water pumping and circulation in industry Water circulation for heat pumps Water circulation for solar panels

How a Ram Pump Works

All ram pumps work on the principle of momentum which is controlled by a cycle set up by the interaction of two valves in the pump. The water, being admitted into the drive pipe, flows through it by gravitation until it reaches the ram, passes through the ram and through the pulse valve into the waste drain. As the water flows, its velocity increases until the pulse valve is no longer able to pass the volume of water flowing, and on this point being reached the pulse valve is suddenly closed. The outlet thus being closed, the flow of water suddenly stops. This produces a concussion of more or less severity in the body of the ram, according to the height and distance from which the water is flowing, and a result of this concussion is that a portion of the water in the body of the ram is forced upwards through the delivery valve into the air cylinder. At the same time the recoil allows the pulse valve to return to its original position. The outlet being thus reopened, the water which was brought to rest by the closing of the pulse valve recommences to flow through the ram till it acquires the necessary velocity to raise the pulse valve a second time , closing the outlet, producing a concussion, and forcing more water into the air chamber through the delivery valve. This series of events occurs from 40 to 90 times per minute, according to the size of the hydro ram, fall of water driving ram, etc. The ram will continue working automatically for months, the pulse valve rubber and the delivery valve rubber being the only moving parts. The water, which is forced into the air chamber, finds its way from it through a pipe, known as the rising main or delivery pipe, to the place where it is required for use, a continuous flow being maintained so long as the ram remains working. The fall of water necessary to work a ram may be as low as 0,5 meter and with such a fall, water may be raised to 10 to 15 meters. With higher falls, such as from 2 to 10 meters and over, water can be raised to

upwards of 100 meters in height and more than 1 kilometre in distance. The installation is extremely simple. All that is required water at the point of by constructing a pool. From this running downwards on an even gradient to the point of location of the ram itself, runs the drain pipe which has to be heavy gauge galvanised steel or cast iron pipe and of appropriate length which is dependent upon the height to which the water is to be pumped. Although it is not essential that this pipe should be buried, it is preferable in order to avoid interference from wild life and unauthorised persons. The ram chamber itself can vary considerably but all that is required is a concrete base which securely hold the ram in place. Hydro rams are working unaffected by the temperature changes (especially low temperatures which might cause a conventional system to freeze unless some form of heat is provided.) 888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Small Hydro
Small Hydro Power Programme
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has been vested with the responsibility of developing Small Hydro Power (SHP) projects up to 25 MW station capacities. The estimated potential for power generation in the country from such plants is over 15,000 MW. Most of the potential is in Himalayan States as river-based projects and in other States on irrigation canals. The SHP programme is now essentially private investment driven. Projects are normally economically viable and private sector is showing lot of interest in investing in SHP projects. The viability of these projects improves with increase in the project capacity. The Ministrys aim is that at least 50% of the potential in the country is harnessed in the next 10 years.

Hydro Power Project Classification

Hydro power projects are generally categorized in two segments i.e. small and large hydro. In India, hydro projects up to 25 MW station capacities have been categorized as Small Hydro Power (SHP) projects. While Ministry of Power, Government of India is responsible for large hydro projects, the mandate for the subject small hydro power (up to 25 MW) is given to Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Small hydro power projects are further classified as

Class Micro Hydro Mini Hydro Small Hydro

Station Capacity in kW Up to 100 101 to 2000 2001 to 25000

Small Hydro Power Programme

Small Hydro Power ( SHP) Programme is one of the thrust areas of power generation from renewable in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. It has been recognized that small hydropower projects can play a critical role in improving the overall energy scenario of the country and in particular for remote and inaccessible areas. The Ministry is encouraging development of small hydro projects both in the public as well as private sector. Equal attention is being paid to grid-interactive and decentralized projects.

Aim: The Ministrys aim is that the SHP installed capacity should be about 7000 MW by the end of 12th Plan. The focus of the SHP programme is to lower the cost of equipment, increase its reliability and set up projects in areas which give the maximum advantage in terms of capacity utilisation. Potential: An estimated potential of about 15,000 MW of small hydro power projects exists in India. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has created a database of potential sites of small hydro and 5,415 potential sites with an aggregate capacity of 14,305.47 MW for projects up to 25 MW capacity have been identified
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Power :Assam has the highest power potential in the country,based on water,natural gas,coal and oil. The hydroelectric potential available in the State is estimated at 12 million K.W.,ie.,about 30% of India's hydro power resources excluding that of the Brahmaputra which is itself 30 million K.W.at 60% load fac-tor on the basis of minimum discharge. This represents one of the largest concentration of hydro power potential in the world. In spite of the bounties of nature,Assam is one of the least development State in India as dearth of power has been a limiting factor to industrial development in the State. During the pre-independence period,not to speak of the rural areas,even the urban population in most of the towns of Assam were used to kerosene lights for want of power. After the independence attempts were made to generate hydraulic power in the State. Prior to the first Five Year Plan,there were only seven small undertakings with an installed capacity centre. In addition,there were a few private power generating stations worked by the railways,collieries and oil fields with an in-stalled capacity of 2.903 K.W. The period from 1955 to 1958 of the Second Plan saw a substantial expansion in Assam's power output from 9.8 million K.W.T. To 18.07 million K.W.T. consequent upon the commissioning of the Umtru Hydel Plant in 1957. The Department of Electricity came up in 1951 and the State Electricity Board was constituted in 1958. During the first two plan periods,however,power development in the State was very slow. The per capita consumption of electrical energy in 1960-61 was only 2.46 K.W. as against the all India average of 32 K.W. The installed capacity in the State in 1957 was only 14000 K.W. generated mostly from diesel sets except from Umtru Hydro-Electric Project. Thus during the first two plan periods,two-thirds of the total electricity output was generated from oil plants. During the First Plan,the output from oil plants increased from 4.4 million K.W.H .to 7.8 million K.W.H. The Assam Electricity Board which came into being in 1958 undertook the following major projects estimated to generate the total capacity of 1,70,000,K.W. during the Third Five Year Plan. (a) Umiam Hydro Electric Project. (b) Namrup Thermal Project (c) Garo Hills Stream Power Project. (d) Guwahati Thermal Power Project. The construction of the first phase of hydro-electric project was taken up on the Umtru River in the year 1954. This station with an installed capacity of 8.4 M.W. was commissioned in 1957. In the year 1960,the Umium Hydroelectric project with an installed capacity of 26 M.W. was taken up for construction. This project was commissioned in the year 1965. The installed capacity in Assam was only 3 M.W. at the commencement of the First Plan. This rose to 10 M.W. in1969-70 and further to 171 M.W. in 1970-71. Assam's power position continued to be unsatisfactory. Power generation (about 1566 M.W.)per capita consumption of electricity (32.7 Kwh in 1976-77), and rural electrification (10.3%)are very much behind the All-India average. During 1974-75,per capita consumption of electricity in the State was one of the lowest in India being only 28 K.W.H and much lower than the national average of 99 K.W.H during the same year. The responsibility of co-ordinated development of generation,transmission and distribution of power in the State lies with the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB). The Board was bifurcated in January,1975 between the States of Assam and Meghalaya as per provision made in the North Eastern Areas (Reor-ganisation)Act,1971. As a result,the Umium and Umtru Hydro-Electric Project under the Board were transferred to Meghalaya due to their location within that State,Consequently,power generation in the Re-constituted Assam came down considerably.

However,power supply from these sources continued to be made for the consumers in Assam without any break or restriction. Subsequently,an agreement was arrived at between the Meghalaya Government and the Government of Assam to form a joint and integrated venture on 19th January,1975,by which the Umium Power Installation was transferred to work in an integrated system in co-ordination with the Chandrapur Thermal Station district for maximum power generation to facilities power supply in both the States throughout the year. Respective shares of power for the two States during the next 7 years or till a new project is developed,have also been agreed upon. At present,Assam has an installed capacity of about 156 M.W. with two major generation stations,viz.,Chandrapur Thermal (30 M.W.)and Namrup Thermal (11.6 M.W.)and a few insolated diesel generation station aggregating to approx. 15 M.W. During 1970-71,power generation in erstwhile Assam was of the order on 359.5 million K.W.H. Separate figure of power generation in the re-constituted Assam was available only for the year 1975-76. In that year power generation in the reconstituted Assam was 449.37 million K.W.H. The table below shows the generation of power in Assam from different sources over the past few years. 27 Installed Capacity and Generation of Electricity in Assam

Total

Installed

Power purchased Capacity of Generating Total Units Generated from Plants (M.W.) (Million Unit) other (Million Unit) 3 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 4 ------5 --60.0 6 514.4 514.4 514.4 534.4 7 1206.4 1079.5 1068.3 939.9 8 0.02 N.A. 9 1206.42 1079.5 1068.3 939.9 10 996.5 996.8 1088.5 1175.3

1 1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94

2 512.4 512.4 452.4 532.4

Pattern of power consumption in Assam had undergone noticeable changes since 1970-71. More and more power is now being consumed by industries,tea gardens,defence establishment,etc. Industrial consumption of power (at low.medium and high voltage)in the State increased from 154.5 million K.W.H in 1970-71 to 529 million K.W.H in 1993-94. Consumption of power by tea gardens has also increased considerably. Thus total consumption of power in the State stood at 1611.00 million K.W.H in 1993-94 as against 288.5 million K.W.H in 1970-71 (including Meghalaya and Mizoram). The following table shows the consumption of electricity in Assam for few years.28 Sector 1 1.Domestic 2. Commercial 3. Industrial Power 4. Industrial Power 5. 6. 7. 8. Public lighting Free Supply Irrigation Public Water 1990-91 2 180.00 115.00 149.00 440.00 High 14.00 10.00 26.00 27.00 240.00 165.00 5.92 125.00 35.92 31.25 188.53 158.94 17.00 135.00 30.00 27.00 193.20 150.00 243.20 118.00 66.56 457.47 1991-92 3 1992-93 4 232.00 110.00 70.00 448.00 1993-94 5 369.00 131.00 149.00 380.00 Voltage 18.00 10.00 38.00 35.00 Works 237.00 156.00

9. Tea Garden 10. Bulk supply

in the State 11. Outside State 218.00 76.52 107.71 35.00 12. Rural Industry 50.00 76.55 70.00 53.00 Total Units 1636.00 1584.28 1590.00 1611.00 consumed by the ultimate consumers It has been mentioned earlier that power generation within the State has come down to a much lower level due to bifurcation of the State Electricity Board between Assam and Meghalaya. If adequate attention is not paid to power developmental programmes in the State,there is likelihood of considerable power shortage in the State in view of the likely rise in the demand for power in near future as a result of the developmental schemes that are being initiated. In order to meet this anticipated shortage of power,a number of projects have been taken up in hand. For distribution of power to all corners of the State long distance 66 KV and 132KV transaction lines have also been installed. During the year 1971-72,an extensive programme of drawal of 33 KV.,11 KV.and L.T.lines all over the State was taken up. One 220 KV transmission line has been completed in the last part of the year 1979. The Tenth annual electric power survey (C.E.A)estimate the peak load and energy requirement of Assam to increase from 120 MV.and 605 million units in 1976-77 to 214 M.W.and 1075 million units respectively in 197879,whereas peak availability and energy availability by the year are placed at 85 MW and 654 million units. Thus Assam's installed capacity for power generation at present is far be-hind the estimated present demand. As far as new power generation projects are concerned mention may be made of the following (i)Namrup Thermal Power Station , (ii) Namrup Gas Turbine , (iii) Bongaigaon Power Station, (iv)Kopili Hydro Electric Project,(v)Chandrapur Thermal Power Station, (vi)Lakwa Gas Turbine Station and (vii) Lower Borapani Hydel Project. The 1st extension work of Namrup Thermal Power Station has already been completed and has been commissioned in 1974. The Namrup Gas Turbine Set has also recently been commissioned. Guwahati Gas Project at Narangi which was commissioned in 1964 was subsequently shifted to Namrup and the reinstallation was completed in 1972-73. The Chandrapur Thermal was commissioned in June,1972.

Namrup

Thermal

Power

Station

Oil struck in the Naharkatia area abounds gas,but the associated natural gas is dependent on the extraction of crude oil and when the off-take of crude oil to the refineries goes upto 24 million tonnes per year the production of associated gas that will be available for utilisation after meeting the requirement of oil fields,is very conservatively estimated at about 1.3 mil-lion cubic metres per day. The National expert committee recommended the installation of a thermal power station with gas turbines,along with other gas based industrial installation for timely and proper utilization of natural gas found in Naharkatia. In May 1962,the Assam State Electricity Board started installation of a thermal power station at Namrup,initially containing three gas turbine generating units of 23,000 K.W each to be later augmented by one 23,000 K.W gas turbine and two 23,000 K.W steam turbine units,totaling a station installed capacity of about 1,40,000 K.W and consuming about 0.5 million cubic metres of natural gas per day at 57 per cent load factor.29 The plant with total outlay of Rs. 14.75 crores for the present was commissioned in April,1965. The power from this plant is available to different industries based on natural gas of which the Namrup Fertilizer plant is the most important. Other beneficiaries are the tea estate factories,Assam Railways and Trading company at Digboi. Other industries and consumers of the entire upper Assam are able to utilise the power from this plant. For the purpose, a vast network of 66 K.V.,38 K.V and 11 K.V transmission and sub-transmission lines has also been installed. The main transmission and sub-transmission lines are (i)66 K.V Double circuit line, (2) 66 K.V.Double circuit line, (3) 66 K.V.Single circuit line, (4) 33 K.V and 11 K.V sub-transmission lines and (5) 66 K.V. Single circuit line. In order to distribute power,several grid sub-stations on other distributing sub-stations have also been installed. The associated 66 K.V grid sub-stations are distributed in 6 to 7 places while 33 K.V sub-stations are provided at several other places. Special care has been taken in the alignment of transmission and distribution lines so that major industrial areas fall within the tea estates and other consuming centres fall within easy reach of the system.

Bongaigaon Thermal Power Station : The Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project was sanctioned on 1.7.75 at an estimated cost of Rs. 47.02 crores. It was installed near Nandangiri Hill at a considerable distance from Bongaigaon. There is one powerful turbo generator set with provision for extension. The turbine sets are fed by a system

raised in boilers. The required coal is supplied from the West-Bengal-Bihar coal mines as the coal of MargheritaLedo contains higher sulphur content. The required water is drawn locally. The total generation of energy in the power station is 66 crore units annually.

Kopili Hydro Electric Project : Power generation project will be completed in two stages at a total cost of Rs.
55 to 60 crores. There will be 4 stations with potentials for 24 MW,71 MW,8 MW and 20 MW respectively,the total potential of all these stations thus coming to 73 MW,231 MW,24 MW and 100 MW continuous. The total potential of the whole valley development works out to be 466 MW continuous where an installation of 1000 MW can be easily envisaged. The total estimated cost of the entire project with 4 stations coins to Rs. 134 crores. On April 25,1976,the Prime Minister of India laid the foundation stone of the Kopili Hydro Electric Project which is being executed by the North Eastern Regional Power Corporation Limited recently formed for power development in this region. It is expected that Assam's requirement of power will be met to a great extent after completion of the above projects . The Assam State Electricity Board has taken up construction of a net work of transmission of power to the load centres. Eleven new single circuit transmission lines are being construction in the State. Power to Allipurduar also is supplied by the Board through double circuit line. In the undivided Goalpara district of Assam,the power supply was taken over by the State Electricity Board since 1957 by phases. A beginning was made by starting thermal stations in Goalpara and Kokrajhar towns while diesel generating sets were installed with initial capacities of 124 KV at Goalpara and 150 K.W at Kokrajhar. Power supply in Dhubri town was managed by the National Power Supply Corporation which had been functioning in the district since 1954 and prior to that another private company supplied electricity in this town for some years. The Board took over power supply in Dhubri in 1966 making a beginning with Diesel generating sets. The number of power stations under the management of the State Electricity Board increased to three in 1966,and in 1971,another station with a 25 KW. Diesel set was commissioned at Mancachar. At present,the Board supplies electricity to the from Umium Umtru Chandrapur power stations through grid-sub stations. A thermal power project with two 60 M.W. Turbo generator sets extension by another 3X60 M.W set has been undertaken near Bongaigaon by the Board which is extending electrification to other towns and even rural areas in phased manner. It may also be mentioned that some big industries including including the tea industry have own power houses at Bongaigaon and Fakiragram Junctions. Power supply and its development in the undivided Darrang district are of very recent origin. Prior to the formation of the Assam State electricity Board in 1958,there was only one diesel power station run by the Tezpur Power Supply Company Pvt. Ltd.at Tezpur to supply power to the town. In 1958,the Assam State electricity Board took over this Company and subsequently in 1959 installed 3 more diesel sets in the district,one each at Dhekiajuli,Charali and Mangaldoi towns. For the management of the power supply in the district,the Assam State Electricity Board has now opened one Electrical Division at Dhekiajuli,Balipara and Mangaldoi. Following the completion of the long distance 132 K.V double circuit transmission line crossing over the Brahmaputra at Pandu in 1967,the Assam State Electricity Board has began to supply hydro-electricity to Tezpur Station since January,1964. The diesel stations were kept as a stand by from that time. In January,1969,the Assam State Electricity Board installed a diesel set at Dhekiajuli,and another diesel set at Charali in July,1959. In 1968,all the diesel stations of Dhekiajuli,Charali and Mangaldoi became hydro-electricity transformer. Supply and distribution of power in the undivided Nagaon district have been undertaken by the State Electricity Board in the year 1958. Prior to this it was under the control of Power Department of the Government of Assam. The first electrification scheme in the undivided Nagaon district was started in the year 1940 by a private company,which ran upto 1949. After taking over the scheme by the State Electricity Board,the source of power supply was diesel generating set which continued till June 1970,and after that some portion of the Nagaon town was connected to Umium Grid System. In case of its failure,power is supplied from the stand by Diesel Power station which is situated near the Nagaon Railway Station. Hojai was connected with hydraulic power system during the third five year plan only. The power house at Diphu was set up by the State Electricity Board, Assam in 1957 and commissioned in 1958 with two generating sets. Consequently with the increase of load another set was installed in 1963. With the further

increase of load,one more set was installed in 1965. In March,1968,the Namrup Thermal Power supply was energized and connected with Diphu. The power house is now kept as stand by supply during the period of interruption or lowering down of the load in the main line. By now Siloni,Mahindujur and Lumbajong also are covered by electrification system of the Board. Power House at Haflong was installed by the Assam State Electricity Board in 1996. It has two generating sets and it extends service upto Maibong and Mahur. But the capacity of the Power House is very limited. Supply and distribution of power in the urban areas of the undivided Sibsagar district have in recent years been undertaken by the State Electricity Board. All the State power stations of this district are run by diesel oil. There is every possibility of Hydro-electric project being installed in the district in near future. All the tea gardens have their own diesel power generating sets though the State Electricity Board has now extended their supply system throughout the gardens of the district. The following stations are supplied with energy from the State electricity Supply,Jorhat,through tension line : (1)Assam Engineering College, (2) regional Research Laboratory, (3)jorhat Civil hospital and (4) Rowriah Airfield. One generating set each at Sibsagar and Golaghat has been installed. The Toklai experimental Station,Cinnamara,Mariani,Nazira,Joysagar town,Simaluguri,Farkating have been electrified. Both Tinsukia district and Dibrugarh district ave high power potential based on water,natural gas,coal and oil. Two private electric supply companies were operating at Dibrugarh and Tinsukia. The Companies were taken over by the Assam State Electricity Board in 1972. Over and above these,Assam Oil Company,Digboi,Oil India Ltd.,Duliajan,and Assam Railway and Trading Company Ltd., Margherita have their own electric supply units. These Companies are generating electricity mainly for their own use but sometimes they supply power for public use also. Prior to constitution of the Board,the State Electricity department started two diesel stations one at North Lakhimpur in Lakhimpur district and the other at Doom-Dooma in Tinsukia district in 1957-58. Then with constitution of the Board,the programme was extended to cover almost all the towns of both Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts during the period from 1958 to 1972. In Cachar,prior to Independence there was only one power station at Silchar which was under the control of the Silchar Electric Supply Company Ltd.established in 1928. In 1952,Karimganj Electric Supply Co. Ltd.came into being but it was acquired by the Government in 1956 for its inefficiency. With the establishment of the Assam State Electricity Board in 1958,the Silchar Electricity Supply Co. Ltd.was also taken over by the Government. The district is now served by the sub-station at Panchgram near Badarpur. There is another power station at Durlavcherra which supplies electricity to the whole of Tripura and a part of Cachar. Notwithstanding the fact that the Brahmaputra-Barak basin and the eastern Himalayas account for more than 30 per cent of India's total hydro-electric power potential of 84,000 MW,Assam's power scenario makes a grim reading. The in-stalled generating capacity in Assam stands at about 540 magawatt (MW)which is a more 0.75 per cent of the country's total installed capacity of 70,000 MW. In 1992-93,while the per cent capita electric energy consumption was 281.48 Kwh (Kilowatt hours)for the country as a whole,that of Assam's stood at only 105 Kwh. At present,the Bongaigaon Thermal Power Station (BTPS)runs on coal from Bengal-Bihar belt,is the largest power plant in the North-east with an installed capacity of 240 MW. The installed capacity of the first natural gas based Namrup Thermal Power Station (NTPS)has raised from 69 MW to 133.5 MW. The Lakwa Thermal Power Station (LTPS)has four gas turbine sets each with a 15 MW capacity. At Kathalguri and Geleki,the ASEB has installed mobile gas turbine generating sets. Based on the ''Fourteenth electric Power Survey of India'' published by the Central electricity Authority,the energy availability in Assam works out to be 1656 Mkwh against the energy requirement of 3348 Mkwh thereby creating a deficit of 1692 Mkwh (50.53%). Two important power generation projects now in the process of completion are the Kathalguri Thermal Power Project,a 270 MW project of the North eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO)and the 285 MW Amguri Combined-cycle Plant of ASEB.30

Rural Electrification : In Assam,the pace of electrification in the country side had been rather slow. Till the end of 1977-78 only 2,267 villages or 10.3% of the total village in the State were electrified as against 38% for the Country as a whole. The number of irrigation pump sets/tube-wells energised till the end of 31st March,1978 stood at 1,054. In 1993-94,the total number of electrified villages has gone up to 21,495 which works out to be 87.1 per cent of the total number of villages in Assam. With release of funds from the Rural Electrification Corporation the number of villages electrified is expected to rise in 1994-95. In the same financial year,it has been proposed to electrify 40 villages under the State Plan.

NC Hills

Sept. 12: People power is lighting up households literally at Boro Robi, a nondescript village in North Cachar Hills district.
Residents of Boro Robi and the army construct the dam

Ignored by the Assam State Electricity Board for its remoteness and inaccessibility, the village has discovered light with the help of the army and the District Rural Development Agency. Residents of Boro Robi joined hands with the army and the DRDA last year to build a water-harvesting structure on the Boro Robinallah stream as the first step towards setting up a mini hydel power plant. Army engineers provided the expertise, the DRDA arranged for funds and the villagers toiled to construct a 12-feet high dam that can store 3 lakh

litres of water. The task was not as easy as it may sound. It required months of hard labour and determination for the villagers to accomplish the task. Once the dam was constructed, we thought it should be turned into a mini-hydel project and the villagers accomplished this task with the help of army engineers, DRDA project director H.P. Rajkumar said. The army engineers also designed the turbine required to generate power. The hydel project now generates 68kv of electricity, enough to light up the 35 households in the village. The entire project from the construction of the dam to generation of electricity took seven months to complete. The total expenditure on the project, including the cost of transmitting power, was Rs 18 lakh. Rajkumar said the power project would be handed over to the villagers after its formal inauguration. They will not have to pay for the use of power. They will just have to maintain it from time to time by lubricating the turbine. Although the project has not been formally inaugurated yet, all households were connected to the power-generation plant immediately after its completion. We did so at the advice of Governor Ajai Singh, the project director said. The DRDA intends to upgrade the project in the long term to provide electricity to the adjoining Krishna Nagar village, which has 100 households.

The governor, who is the interim head of the North Cachar Hills District Autonomous Council in the absence of an elected body, was so impressed with the project that he asked the DRDA to replicate the success story elsewhere in the district, too. The DRDA has earmarked three more spots for similar projects. Apart from providing electricity, the dams will provide constant supply of water and facilitate pisciculture, Rajkumar said. About 20,000 fish are being reared in the Boro Robi reservoir.

NC Hills

Sept. 12: People power is lighting up households literally at Boro Robi, a nondescript village in North Cachar Hills district.
Residents of Boro Robi and the army construct the dam

Ignored by the Assam State Electricity Board for its remoteness and inaccessibility, the village has discovered light with the help of the army and the District Rural

Development Agency. Residents of Boro Robi joined hands with the army and the DRDA last year to build a water-harvesting structure on the Boro Robinallah stream as the first step towards setting up a mini hydel power plant. Army engineers provided the expertise, the DRDA arranged for funds and the villagers toiled to construct a 12-feet high dam that can store 3 lakh litres of water. The task was not as easy as it may sound. It required months of hard labour and determination for the villagers to accomplish the task. Once the dam was constructed, we thought it should be turned into a mini-hydel project and the villagers accomplished this task with the help of army engineers, DRDA project director H.P. Rajkumar said. The army engineers also designed the turbine required to generate power. The hydel project now generates 68kv of electricity, enough to light up the 35 households in the village. The entire project from the construction of the dam to generation of electricity took seven months to complete. The total expenditure on the project, including the cost of transmitting power, was Rs 18 lakh. Rajkumar said the power project would be handed over to the villagers after its formal inauguration. They will not have to pay for the use of power. They will just have to maintain it from time to time by lubricating the turbine. Although the project has not been formally inaugurated yet,

all households were connected to the power-generation plant immediately after its completion. We did so at the advice of Governor Ajai Singh, the project director said. The DRDA intends to upgrade the project in the long term to provide electricity to the adjoining Krishna Nagar village, which has 100 households. The governor, who is the interim head of the North Cachar Hills District Autonomous Council in the absence of an elected body, was so impressed with the project that he asked the DRDA to replicate the success story elsewhere in the district, too. The DRDA has earmarked three more spots for similar projects. Apart from providing electricity, the dams will provide constant supply of water and facilitate pisciculture, Rajkumar said. About 20,000 fish are being reared in the Boro Robi reservoir.

Inhabitants of a remote village in the rugged, mountainous terrain of North Cachar Hills are getting uninterrupted power supply even though it is not connected by conventional power grid. This has been made possible by the States first micro hydro-electr The project generates 68 KV power from a hilly stream called Boro Robi nullah near the hamlet. It has a 12-foot-high water reservoir and a turbine.

This was started as a pilot project with support from the Army, and following its successful implementation, we plan to set up more such micro hydel projects in similar terrain in the district, HP Rajkumar, Project Director, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), NC Hills, said, adding that a couple of sites had already been identified for the purpose. Rajkumar said that the Army engineers designed the turbine, which cost Rs 1.25 lakh. The Army has been very enthusiastic about the project and extended every possible cooperation to us. We got technical expertise from the IIT-Delhi as well, he said. At the moment the project is illuminating 38 households of the village besides a school, a church, a temple and an auditorium. The households have two bulbs each. Plans are afoot to expand it to another 100 families of a nearby village by incurring an additional expenditure of Rs 3 lakh, he said. The project, implemented by the DRDA under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, has benefited the local people in different ways. The labour for the venture came from the residents of the village. The Boro Robi experience has shown that the perennial power shortage faced by the State especially in the hilly and remote areas could be mitigated to a great extent by harnessing the abundant water resources through micro hydro-electric projects. Not only are such projects low-cost and effective but are environment-friendly and do not involve displacement of people as required in the case of big hydel power projects. This is a novel, pioneering project, and can be replicated in places having similar geographical conditions. Micro projects are normally effective within a radius of 1 km from the source. Arunachal Pradesh has several micro hydel projects, but in Assam, this has been the first such attempt, Rajkumar said. In Assam, the two hills districts of NC Hills and Karbi Anglong offer the maximum potential for micro hydro-power projects. The inhabitants of Boro Robi village will be responsible for maintenance of the project. The people will be given the charge of maintaining

the project. We will also do periodical inspections so that it operates smoothly, Rajkumar said. Fish seedlings have also been reared in the water reservoir, which can supplement the income of the villagers. We are rearing 20,000 fish seedlings in the reservoir, which is part of a water harvesting project. This can emerge as another sustainable source of income for the people, Rajkumar said.