Work on five small hydroelectric projects with a capacity of 53 MW will begin this year. This is in addition to the projects aimed at tapping the non-conventional and renewable sources like wind and solar energy, Finance Minister K.M. Mani has said.
Mr. Mani, in the Budget for 2012-13 presented in the Assembly on Monday, said that LED streetlights would be installed in all Corporations and municipalities. ‘Souragriha,' a project for tapping solar energy, would be launched within a year. Solar energy plants with a capacity of one kilowatt each, would be set up atop 10,000 houses in a year. The power generated would be transferred to the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). The government would provide Rs.524 crore which was needed for restructuring and converting the board into a company. This was in addition to the electricity duty of Rs.3,024 crore for 10 years. Such projects had been planned in addition to major projects such as the Baitharani coal-based project for generating 1,050 MW, 1,200 MW LNG project at Cheemeni, 1,200 MW joint venture between Petronet and KSEB at Puthuvype, and the scheme for generating 1,500 MW from the NTPC plant at Kayamkulam.
