The country’s hydropower generation would be good this season despite varying forecasts by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and Skymet, said industry officials. While Skymet expects a below-normal rainfall, IMD sees near-normal rains this year.
“Even if the Skymet prediction is right, it is more than enough for us,” said Balraj Joshi, chairman and managing director of NHPC. With more than 6,900 megawatt (Mw) of capacity, NHPC is the largest hydropower producer in the country.
Joshi said he was not worried for two reasons. “Both IMD and Skymet predictions are more crop-oriented and are for plane areas. Our plants are affected by local rainfall, particularly because our catchment areas are small,” he said, adding 50 per cent of NHPC’s hydro production in rainfall-dependent, while the rest is snowfall-driven.
