Debasis Sarkar
The Economic Times
December 30, 2014
Every winter puts it under low key, but the hibernation this year is going too deep causing concern for the dependent one. The entity in question is Himalayan country Bhutan’s Hydropower sector and the dependent one is India.
Though highly rich in hydropower, Bhutan’s power production goes under near hibernation during every winter due to low hydro logical output. Despite its existing generation of around 6500 MU(Million Units), much higher than average domestic demand of near 1500 MU, the situation forces Bhutan to import power from India to run its own domestic need and essential services.
This trend is showing a negative curve. Total long term average import from India between October-March stands around 40MW. The same period import in 2013-14 remained around 55 MW- informed officials from Druk Green Power Corporation(DGPC), that takes care of Bhutan’s Hydropower initiatives. But against this, currently Bhutan has to import 80M units of power during these winter months- Bhutan’s Prime Minister Mr. Lyonchhoen Tshering Tobgay informed at a meeting with private enterprises on Monday,
Not just increased domestic need, diminishing water flow is the major reason behind this negative trend. According to DGPC MD Mr. C Rinzin, Bhutan recorded its lowest overall energy generation in 2014 since 2007- mainly due to poor hydrology and increased domestic consumption. “That is a concern,” he said.
“The whole hydrological dynamics there is gradually coming up as a concern for India,” said senior hydrologists and geologists.
“Bhutan is at present on a mission to achieve 10,000 MW additional installed capacity by 2020 in co-operation with the Government of India,” Mr. Dasho Tsering Wangda, Consul General of Bhutan in India said earlier. “Being the largest buyer of Bhutan’s hydropower and sole stakeholder of this additional capacity, India hosts the largest share of financial responsibility involved into this new initiative.”
“Though new projects are coming up in Bhutan. This gradual downfall may force these projects to run at much lower than expected output level or lesser than installed capacity making inadequate return against the investment,” said the hydropower experts. Naturally, “Things are not exactly in favour of India. And, there is not much that we can do as the whole issue is mostly natural,” they added.
