Impact of Power Projects on Western Ghats

WGEEP Brainstorming Session 18.11.2010: IISc, Bengaluru

Shankar Sharma

Power Policy Analyst, Thirthahally, Karnataka

E-mail: shankar. sharma2005@gmail.com

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Power Sector’s role in development of WGs ?

� Difficult to visualise many positive roles

� Has done more harm than development to WGs

Deleterious impacts on economic, social and environmental

aspects of our society are much more than the benefits

to WGs !!!

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Impact of power projects on Western Ghats

� Conventional power projects have economic, social, environmental,

cultural, ethical, equity, constitutional and legal issues at the national

level.

� Only environmental issues specific to WGs are discussed here.

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Impact of power projects on Western Ghats

Power projects impacting WGs can be broadly classified as:

� Dam based hydel projects including small size hydel projects

� Thermal projects based on fossil fuels like coal, diesel and gas

� Nuclear power projects

� Large size wind turbines

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Common Problems of conventional power projects

� Diversion of large chunks of forest lands either for power plant

structures and/or transmission lines

� fragmentation of forests severely affects animal movements

� opens up thick forest cover leading to accelerated deterioration of forest

� introduction of alien species ; threat to endemic species of flora and fauna

� Need for transmission lines over WGs even for projects outside of WGs

� for coastal power stations: example of coastal UMPPs (Tadadi, UPP, Kanhangad ,

Kaiga etc)

� Impacts on the local and global environment

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Hydro Power Projects (including mini and micro hydels)

� drowns large chunks of forest and fertile agricultural fields

� leads to additional clearing of forests to meet agricultural needs

� drowned sacred groves cannot protect bio-diversity

� fragmentation and accelerated destruction of forests

� directly affects foraging movements of animals,

� drastically reduces long-term population viability of extinction prone species

(elephants, tigers and lion-tailed macaques)

� aggravates human-wildlife conflicts

� stagnant water in the reservoir impacts health of the river

� stretches of river become dry

� cascaded power plants impact free flow of river

� example of Sharavathy

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Hydro Power Projects (including mini and micro hydels)

� movement of vehicles during and after construction impact animal

species

� increased sedimentation in rivers

� submerged vegetation causes Methane emission leading to Global

Warming

� dams associated with 20% of the country’s total global warming impact in the

form of Methane, CO2 and Nitrous Oxide.

� impounded water triggering earthquakes?

� unacceptable levels of noise pollution during construction; digging,

blasting, excavation

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Hydro Power Projects (including mini and micro hydels)

� displacement may take community leaders away

� they may be people who have traditionally protected forests

� construction workers may settle down permanently in WGs

� they may start further clearing of forest areas for personal needs

� these people may not have the same sense of respect for forests

� forest clearing, excavation, debris dumping, temporary shelters for

workers, chopping trees for firewood etc. during construction will

affect the forest environment

� impacts of decommissioning of dam will be massive; � have not been considered traditionally

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Hydro Power Projects (including mini and micro hydels)

� quantity, quality and pattern of water flow in the rivers get impacted

� biodiversity dependent on river flow is severely affected

� absence of mandate for environmental flow may render a river dry

� impoundment of silt in dams deprive the essential nutrients to bio-

diversity downstream

� endemic species dependent on free flow of river may face extinction

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Coal Power Projects

� huge demand for land, water and other resources

� coal dust : pollution of land, water and air

� acid rains; evident in Europe and Canada

� flue gases can travel upto 100 kM

� (example of US - Canada border coal power plants)

� impact on local vegetation and adjacent forests; fresh water resources

� mountains of ash to deal with

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Coal Power Projects

� major cause of Global Warming will further impact WGs

� environmental pollution due to flue gases from the chimney

� impacts flora, fauna and human beings including the agricultural crops;

� increase in atmospheric temperature due to flue gases can affect certain

species of flora and fauna;

� deleterious impact of the combination of salty air and coal/ ash pollution

in West Coast cannot be ignored;

� radiation effects from coal ash is not inconsiderable

� diesel and gas power plants have similar issues of different magnitudes

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Nuclear Power Projects

� demand for land, water and other resources

� pollution of land, water and air

� impacts due to prolonged construction activities

� radiation hazards on bio-diversity of WGs

� impact on local vegetation and adjacent forests; fresh water resources

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Large size wind turbines

� growing evidence that massive wind turbines threaten bird species

� obstruction to flight path

� turbine noise driving away the grazing animals

� roads and distribution lines will need forests clearance

� construction activities on the edges of WGs can trigger land slides

� noise pollution during construction periods

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Do we have any obligations to contain Global Warming ?� Not just to our own people but for the international community ?

Has REDD any relevance to our country?� Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation

Green India Mission may be seen as a cruel joke on the public !!� Rs. 40,000 Crores for afforestation while we continue to destroy thick natural forests

International Year of Bio-diversity should make the country

commit itself for the conservation of nature !!

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Energy Industry Agriculture Waste

Electricity 37.8 % - - -

Transport 7.5 % - - -

Domestic 7.2 % - - -

Others 5.3% - - -

Cement - 6.8% - -

Iron & Steel - 6.2% - -

Other Industries - 8.7% - -

Total 57.8 % 21.7% 17.6% 3.0%

Sector wise % GHG emission in India during 2007(Source: MoEF Report in 2010)

� within the energy sector electricity alone accounts for 65.4 % of all GHG

emissions.

� About 53% of all CO2 emissions in the country associated with

electricity sector

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Indian Power Scenario

T&D losses (2006 –2007, CEA Annual Report)

Region Losses

Northern Region 20 to 52 (%)

Western Region 21 to 39 (%)

Southern Region 19 to 26 (%)

Eastern Region 24 to 50 (%)

N E Region 34 to 57 (%)

All India 28.65 (%)

World best practices << 10%

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Power Sector Inefficiency

• AT&C losses are about 35% [< 10% internationally, <14% in MESCOM, <10% in

Bengaluru]

• IP Sets consume about 34% of electricity; {about 50% of this wasted}

• Demand Side Management has huge potential; {about 15 to 20%}

• End use efficiency (non-agricultural sector) can be improved by – 5 to 10%

• Energy conservation potential – about 5 to 10%

As per 13th Finance Commission national level financial loss

of ESCOMs could be

> Rs. 69,000 Crores in 2010-11 and

> Rs. 116,000 Crores in 2014-15

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Power Sector Inefficiency (contd…)

• National average of PLF of coal power plants < 73% � Against best of >> 95%

� Many coal power plants have PLF << 25%

• PLF of nuclear power plants also is low

• hydel power stations in 2006-07: 82% of them were underperforming

with actual generation of electricity < 50% of the design capacity

� All these put together can be associated with 40 - 50% more

virtual capacity OR saving of about 45% of total demand.

� on an average about 35% of the cost of supply is not recovered.

In Indian context the main challenges for power sector:

How to eliminate the power cuts ?

How to ensure quality power to all ?

How to meet the additional demand ?

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One answer which may appear to be obvious:

Keep increasing the installed generating capacity

And

Increase T&D network correspondingly------------------------------------------------

But the reality:

How much increase is techno-economically feasible?

&

Is there a natural limit?

Issues for consideration: Context of WGs

� Potential for huge additional demand for electricity

� 40% households still without electricity

� Already stressed land, water and environment

� Impact of Global Warming already being felt

� Cannot continue with displacement and poor rehabilitation

We need to look for sustainable solutions keeping in view the

limits of the nature and constraints of the vulnerable

sections of our society.

Hence an imminent need for a paradigm shift

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Per capita consumption of electricity, water, petrol, paper have been

highlighted for decades

Need to increase per capita consumption to that of world average also being

advocated

But what about per capita forest land?

Per capita forest land in India is 0.10 hectares

� world average of one hectare

� Canada=14.2 ha, Australia = 7.6 ha, U.S.A = 7.3 ha

Should this not be a primary concern ???

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A major policy meant to direct power sector; needs public debate.

� Major focus on GDP growth rate; 8% through 2031-32

� By 2031-32 installed capacity projected to increase from 160,000 MW to 8,00,000 MW

� Coal power capacity to increase from about 80,000 MW to about400,000 MW

� Hydro power to increase from about 36,000 MW to 150,000 MW

� Nuclear power to increase from about 5,000 MW to about 63,000 MW

Implications are massive !

Integrated Energy Policy (IEP)

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Proposed /Upcoming/ Ongoing Power Projects in Konkan, Maharastra

No Company Location /Name of Project Capacity (MW)

Coal based

1 NTPC Dhopave, Guhagar 1600

2 Central Govt. (NTPC) Munge, Devgad (UMPP) 4000

3 RGPPL Dabhol, Guhagar 1200 + 2200

4 GMR Energy Bhopan, Dapoli 1980 (Gas?)

5 JSW Energy Jaigad, Ratnagiri 1200 +3200

6 Finolex Ranpar, Ratnagiri 43 + 1000

7 Reliance Industries Ltd Saphale 330

8 TATA Dehrand 2400

9 Reliance Energy Shahpur 4000

10 State Govt Uran upgradation 1220

11 M/s Bharat Power (Konkan) Ltd Dhakore, Anjagaon, Sawantwadi 1050

12 M/s IBPKL Sindhudurg 450

13 M/s Ispat Energy Ltd Dolvi, Raigad 2x500

Nuclear power

14 NPCIL, Central Govt. Jaitapur Total- ~10,000 ?

Gas based

15 M/s Urban Energy Generation Pvt. Ltd Vangni Tarfe Taloja, Raigad 2100

16 M/s Reliance Industries Ltd. Nagothane, Raigad 2x400

17 Urban Energy Generation SEZ at Dronagiri , Uran Taluka, Raigad 2000

18 Urban Energy Generation Kondgaon, Roha, Raigad 2100

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But the efficiency of Solar PV panels

� in market is already about 14%

� In laboratory conditions it is 25%

How responsible it is to persist with predominantly coal power

policy ?

Efficiency of conventional coal energy conversion technologies

� Efficiency of conventional coal energy conversion technologies is very low: 98% loss

� Even with the latest technologies losses will be quite high: 76%

With this background

� Do we need many more large power projects?

� Must they be fossil fuel or large dam based?

� Since fossil fuel & dam based power projects

contribute heavily to the global warming effect

what suitable alternatives are

available to us ?

� Since the policies since independence have largely

failed to meet our requirements, is there a

need for a paradigm shift?

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Issues to ponder

• Shall we not strive to take country’s power sector efficiency to the

international best practice levels ?

• Are all our existing facilities being used optimally?

• Can we reduce electricity demand without compromising the crucial

economic and welfare activities?

• Can renewable energy sources play a major role?

• Are they cost effective as compared to the true cost to society of

conventional energy?

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Option II : Integrated Energy Management Approach

One or more of the following options can provide much more power

COSTS

� T&D loss reduction - 600 MW >> 900 Crores

� Utilisation loss reduction / DSM - 600 MW >> 900 Crores

� Usage of CFLs - 400 MW

OR A combination of

� Wind energy -

� Biomass –

� Solar – Water heating –

� Solar –residential lighting –

BENEFITS

� Negligible societal cost; negligible or nil land and displacement

� No loss of forests & bio-diversity

� Negligible or nil health or environmental costs

� Perpetual benefits

� Highly reduced T& D losses; reduced man power costs

� Boost to agricultural and rural employment 30

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Another case study

Costs and Benefits Analysis - Bedthi hydel project

Karnataka Electricity Industry – Integrated Resource Management Model for Demand and supply

PART I: High level calculations of benefits: forecast for peak demand power (MW)

Year 2009 onwards 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2018

ALoad forecast @7% growth from 6,200 MW base in 2006 with 0.5%

reduction in CAGR every year (peak hour demand) MW 7595 8051 8453 8791 9055 9281

BPeak demand reduction feasible through existing system improvements

B1. Generation improvement through R, M & U MW 16 16 16 16 16 16

B2. Transmission & Distribution loss reduction MW 110 110 110 110 110 110

B3. Non-agricultural uses MW 110 110 110 110 110 110

B4. Agricultural use (100 MW reduction during peak hours assumed) MW 10 10 10 10 10 10

Aggregate peak demand reduction feasible through efficiency measures MW 246 738 1230 1722 2214 2460

C Peak demand reduction feasible through solar technology

C1. AEH Installations (50% reduction during evening hrs assumed) MW 105 105 105 105 105 105

C2. Residential installations MW 30 30 30 30 30 30

C3. IP sets (100 MW savings during evening hrs assumed) MW 10 10 10 10 10 10

C4. Public & commercial lighting MW 4 4 4 4 4 4

Aggregate peak demand reduction feasible through solar technology MW 149 149 149 149 149 149

D Demand reduction feasible through wind energy MW 60 60 60 60 60 60

E Demand reduction feasible through biomass MW 48 48 48 48 48 48

F Aggregate peak demand reduction feasible through NCE sources MW 257 771 1285 1799 2313 2570

G Net peak demand forecast on the grid (= A-(B+F)) MW 7092 6542 5938 5270 4528 4251

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PART II: High level calculations of benefits: forecast for annual energy requirement (MU)

HLoad forecast @7% growth from 34,300 MU base in 2006 with 0.5%

reduction in CAGR every year (annual energy demand ) MU 42019 44540 46767 48638 50097 51349

I Energy reduction feasible through existing system improvements

I1. Generation improvement through R, M & U MU 80 80 80 80 80 80

I2. Transmission & Distribution loss reduction MU 700 700 700 700 700 700

I3. Non-agricultural use MU 430 430 430 430 430 430

I4. Agricultural use MU 250 250 250 250 250 250

Aggregate annual energy reduction feasible from efficiency measures MU 1460 4380 7300 10220 13140 14600

J Energy reduction feasible through solar technology

G1. AEH Installations MU 110 110 110 110 110 110

G2. Residential installations MU 60 60 60 60 60 60

G3. IP sets MU 320 320 320 320 320 320

G4. Public & commercial lighting MU 64 64 64 64 64 64

Aggregate annual energy reduction feasible through solar technology MU 554 554 554 554 554 554

K Energy reduction feasible through wind energy MU 210 210 210 210 210 210

L Energy reduction feasible through biomass MU 200 200 200 200 200 200

M Aggregate annual energy reduction feasible through NCE sources MU 964 2892 4820 6748 8676 9640

N Net annual energy demand forecast on the grid (= H-(I+M)) MU 39595 37268 34647 31670 28281 2710933

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Way forward to protect WGs from the ravages of large

conventional power projects

� Attach appropriate value to all the natural resources in the country;

� Declare all forests out of bound for power projects; NOT JUST WGs, but all

other forests

� Recognise the need to protect all forests in the country in order to

preserve and develop WGs

� Consider electricity as national asset; it’s wastage should be heavily

discouraged

� Instead of GNP maximizing paradigm to estimate energy demand, we

must estimate what is the least amount of energy needed to wipe out

poverty, and how best to meet it in a sustainable manner.

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Way forward to protect WGs from the ravages of large

conventional power projects (contd…)

� Adopt Costs and Benefits Analysis (CBA) as a mandatory part of approval

process

� Aim for achieving international best practices of efficiencies

� Move away from large conventional power projects

� Encourage widespread usage of distributed renewable energy sources

Effective demand side management, highest possible level of energy

efficiencies, optimal levels of energy conservation, and widespread

use of distributed renewable energy sources must be

our future action plan for power sector !!!

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Capacity

(MW)

Share in total

capacity by

2031-32

Comments

Coal 110,000 28 % Increase from present capacity of 80,000 MW; IEP has

projected 400,000 MW

Hydro 40,000 10 % Only < 25 MW capacity R-0-R plants only after 2032

Nuclear 10,000 3 % Only known sources of domestic nuclear fuel to be

used; targeted to be replaced fully by 2050

Natural Gas 25,000 6 % Targeted to be replaced fully by 2050

Solar (Grid interactive

large size units only)

60,000 15 % National solar mission target of 20,000 MW by 2020

should be ramped up adequately

Solar (Roof-top isolated

and Grid interactive

small size units )

60,000 15 % Huge potential to be harnessed early by policy

interventions; a must for accelerated rural

electrification and for T&D loss reduction

Wind 30,000 8 % Same as projected by IEP; expected to increase share

after 2032 through off-shore wind farms

Bio-mass 50,000 13 % Same as projected by IEP; mostly community based

plants

Other renewables

(Ocean energy and Geo-

thermal)

7,000 2 % Nascent technologies but huge potential; likely to get

better focus after 2032

Total Capacity 390,000

Break up of Projected Installed Capacity by 2031-32(As an alternative to IEP)

CONCLUSIONS

40% of our households are still without electricity despite massive investments in power sector !!!

The so called balancing act between development and environment is an empty rhetoric having

severely depleted bio-diversity during last 63 years.

Forest cover has come down from about 46% in 1947 to less than 23%.

An honest commitment to protect the forests has become critical.

Human kind has lived without electricity for ages!

Can we live without a healthy environment ???

Western Ghats are too critical for our survival to ignore.

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There are many benign options to meet legitimate demand for electricity !

The society must move resolutely in this direction !!

Half measures will not suffice !!!

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Thanks !!!