*The government of Himachal in India is planning to harness 1000MW of power every year to generate an additional income for the state. By 2010, the government estimates that 10,000MW of the state’s hydro power potential would have been tapped.
*According to estimates from the Central Electricity Authority of India, renovation and modernisation, along with life extension programme activities on power plants, can yield an extra 33,287MW during the ninth, tenth and eleventh plan periods. The cost to implement these plans is estimated at US$0.3M per MW for hydroelectric power.
*The Karnataka Cabinet in India has decided to award the 297MW Almatti hydro power project to Karnataka Power Corporation, instead of the Chamundi Power Corporation. The decision was influenced by KPC’s estimate of about US$0.15M for the total project cost, US$0.08M less than the private promoter’s estimate. The project has been proposed under the Upper Krishna project at Almatti.
*The new Power Minister for India is Suresh P Prabhu. He succeeds PR Kumaramangalam who died in August 1999. Prabhu will be responsible for hydro power (except small hydro power, which is handled by the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources). Prabhu was previously the Minister for Environment and Forests.