While Ministry of Power, Government of India, is responsible for large hydropower projects, the mandate for small hydropower projects (SHP) of up to 25 MW is given to Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
Classification of Small Hydropower projects
| Class | Station Capacity in kW |
|---|---|
| Micro Hydro | Up to 100 |
| Mini Hydro | 101 to 2,000 |
| Small Hydro | 2,001 to 25,000 |
(Source: MNRE)
The estimated potential for power generation from SHP in the country is about 20,000 MW. Most of this potential is located in the Himalayan States as river-based projects and in other States on irrigation canals. MNRE has created a database of the potential sites of small hydro. This can be accessed on the link (http://mnre.gov.in/file-manager/UserFiles/SHP-potential.pdf). Meanwhile, MNRE aims to have an SHP installed capacity of about 7,000 MW by the end of 12th Plan.
Status of Small Hydropower Capacity as on 31.10.2016
| Technology | Target for FY 2016-17 | Tolal capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Small Hydropower | 250 MW | 4,323.37 MW |
| Water mills/micro hydel | 1 MW + 500 water mills | 18.81 MW |
(Source: MNRE)