Bihar inks MoU for its biggest hydel plant
Moving ahead in its mission to generate green energy, the Bihar government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) for setting up the state’s biggest hydroelectric power generation plant, Dagmara multipurpose hydropower project, on Kosi river in Supaul district on Monday.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Bihar State Hydroelectric Power Corporation (BSHPC) and NHPC through video-conferencing in the presence of Union Minister of State for Power and New and Renewable Energy RK Singh, state energy minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Union Energy Secretary Alok Kumar and chairman and managing director at NHPC AK Singh.
Speaking on the occasion, RK Singh highlighted that the Dagmara project would contribute immensely to India’s mission for energy transition for lesser use of fossil fuel.
The Union minister of power and renewable energy said, “About ₹2,500 crore investment will create immense opportunities for generating both direct and indirect employment in Bihar.”
Giving details of the project, Secretary of Bihar’s energy department Sanjeev Hans said, “The total generation capacity of the project will be 130.1 MW, which will comprise two powerhouses, while the barrage length would be 753 metres and it would have 36 gates.”
Hans claimed that the ambitious power generation plant is the state’s biggest hydroelectric project that will come up 31km downstream on Kosi river under Bhaptiyahi block in Supaul district.
According to state energy minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav River Kosi—which is known as the sorrow of Bihar—will convert into a river of opportunities after the commencement of the Dagmara project.
Yadav attributed the project one-of-its-kind and unique from conventional projects.
Meanwhile, Pratyaya Amrit, additional chief secretary of Bihar health department, who played an instrumental role in taking off of the project, pointed that the Dagmara project would help in an uplift of the socio-economic condition through recreational facilities such as fisheries and ecotourism.