WSHPDR_2013_Final_Report-updated_version

Table 3
Policies relevant to small hydropower in Southern Asia
Country Policy Ministry/organization
Afghanistan Not available Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW), Ministry of Economy and Ministry
of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD)
Bangladesh Renewable Energy Policy – 2008 Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB)
Bhutan Sustainable Hydro Power Development Policy – 2008
No specific policy for small hydropower
Department of Energy (DOE)
Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC)
India Hydro Power Policy – Nov 2008 Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and State Nodal
Departments
Iran (Islamic Not available
Iran Water & Power Resources Development Company (IWPCO)
Republic of)
Nepal Hydropower development Policy (2001) Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA)
Pakistan Policy for Development of Renewable Energy for
Power Generation (2006)
Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB), Water and Power
Development Authority (WAPDA)
Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority Act 2007 – On grid Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA)
renewable Energy Project Regulation 2009
Source: See country reports
Pakistan is yet to develop small hydropower to an
appreciable scale, given its small hydropower
potential in hilly areas as well as on its extensive
irrigation barrage/canal network. Low small
hydropower development to date can perhaps be
attributed to the lack of policies, capacity and private
sector involvement.
Sri Lanka’s small hydropower development in the last
15 years can be attributed to its conducive policy and
proper regulatory support. The small hydropower
potential on irrigation dams and canals and low head
run-of-river schemes has not been developed to its
available potential but is receiving substantial
attention from the private as well as the government
sector. Small hydropower has been quite successful in
Sri Lanka for rural electrification.
Furthermore, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Iran and Sri
Lanka have high possibilities of adding small
hydropower to existing water resources projects built
for irrigation, drinking water, sewage out fall and
industrial water conduits. Some of the existing
channels and natural rivers may also have kinetic
turbines. However, the assessment of such potential is
yet to be assessed in the region.
As the region has favourable climatic and
physiographic settings for hydropower development,
substantial potential of hydropower exists in the
region. Only 15 per cent of the small hydropower
potential has been developed, hence the region has a
vast opportunity for further development.
The total small hydropower potential (up to 10 MW) is
more than 18.03 GW, of which a capacity of
approximately 3.56 GW has been developed so far
(table 4).
Table 4
Small hydropower in Southern Asia
(Megawatts)
Country Potential Installed capacity
Afghanistan 1 200.00 75.14
Bangladesh at least 0.15 0.01
Bhutan .. 8.80
India 15 000.00 3 198.00
Iran (Islamic Rep. of) at least 38.23 16.50
Nepal 1 430.00 70.25
Pakistan .. ..
Sri Lanka 400.00 194.00
Total 18 077.18 3 562.70
Source: See country reports
Notes: Data is for plants up to 10 MW. The small hydropower
potential of Iran is reported as 1,260 GWh/year. 2
The small
hydropower potential of Pakistan for plants up to 50 MW is
estimated at 2,265 MW.
As seen above, the region has substantial small scale
hydropower potential.
References
1. International Energy Agency (2011). Key World
Energy Statistics 2011. Paris, France, pp. 80.
2. International Journal on Hydropower and Dams
(2011). World Atlas and Industry Guide 2011. Surrey,
UK: Aquamedia International.
3. Farhad, H. (2011). Annual Production Report 2011.
Afghanistan Energy Information Centre and United
States Agency for International Development.
Available from
www.afghaneic.org/Data/Annual%20Production%20R
eports/Annual%20Production%20Report%202011.pdf
4. Afghanistan, Ministry of Energy and Water and
Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development
(2010). Afghanistan Rural Renewable Energy Strategy
Action Plan until 2014, Development Objectives until
2020. Draft Version 1. September, 2010.
5. United States Energy Information Administration
(n.d.). Available from www.eia.gov/ý.
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