A stream in Bakcha, North Sikkim, where a micro hydel power project will come up. Picture by Prabin Khaling

Gangtok, Nov. 22: The Union forest and environment ministry has cleared 10 micro hydel power projects with a combined capacity of 770KW in Sikkim.

“The state government had submitted a proposal for 13 mini hydel power projects with a total capacity of 1,070KW (to the ministry). Ten projects got environmental clearances and we await the green light for the rest,” the secretary of the energy and power department, A.K. Giri, said today.

The projects would come up in the North and East districts.

“The clearance was given by the ministry earlier this week. Now the work orders would be issued to the contractors who have been awarded the projects,” said Giri.

The projects in North Sikkim are in Lingdem (100KW), Lingzya (100KW), B-8 (40KW), B-9 (45KW), Bakcha (100KW) and Phensong (60KW). The projects in the East are in Sawa Khola (100KW), Lingtam (100KW), Dalapchand (25KW) and Lamaten (100 KW).

The nodal officer of the state energy and power department C.K. Basnet said: “The projects would be completed in 18 months. Once the projects are over, they would be handed over to the villagers.”

According to him, the local panchayats would form committees in each village that would be in charge of maintaining the power plants. “The village committees would have to generate funds in case the projects need maintenance,” Basnet said.

He added that the total estimated cost of the projects was Rs 19.51 crore.

While the ministry of new and renewable energy will provide Rs 10.8 crore, the North Eastern Council will give Rs 5 crore and the state would give an assistance of Rs 3.13 crore.

“Power from mini hydel projects is generated in a simple way. A tank is built on the flowing stream and water is made to fall from a height and hit the turbine. Power is generated as the turbine is hit by the water. The energy (generated) is then converted into electrical energy in the power house (near the tank) and supplied to households,” Basnet said.

Sources said around 2,000 families would benefit from the 10 projects.

“(Constructing) Transmission lines for the remote villages in Sikkim is expensive because of the difficult terrain. Mini hydel power projects are the best in these areas,” Giri said.

He added that there are two mega hydel power projects that are operating in Sikkim now and 18 are under construction.

“The total power requirement of Sikkim during the summer is 60MW and 80MW during the winter,” Giri said.

He added that the three other mini projects that were awaiting environmental clearance are in the East. “The three proposed mini hydel power projects in Bala, Buthang and Kumrek villages (total capacity of 300KW) are waiting for clearance.”