Hydropower in India: Balancing Energy Demands, Environmental Concerns, and Climate Change Mitigation

Renewable energy sources are now at the forefront because there is a pressing need to mitigate climate change. However, as we switch to a cleaner energy future, we must carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of various solutions. The usage of hydropower has long been hailed as a clean, effective energy source that significantly lowers greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. However, it is not without difficulties concerning massive hydroelectric projects and their environmental effects.

The largest source of renewable electricity on a global scale, hydropower accounts for roughly 16% of the energy produced. However, it has developed unevenly, with only four countries accounting for almost 50% of production, with China leading the way, followed by Brazil, Canada, and the United States. India is the fifth largest producer of hydropower.

The Dilemma: Balancing Power Output and Environmental Impact

In order to maximize energy output, large-scale hydropower projects frequently start-up in hilly areas with plenty of water resources. However, the pursuit of more incredible energy may have adverse effects on the ecosystem. The resulting adverse impacts include Ecosystem Disruption: Building dams and reservoirs can result in habitat loss, temperature fluctuations, and altered sediment transport, all of which can have a detrimental effect on aquatic life; Deforestation; Community Displacement: Dam construction can relocate communities and transform traditional livelihoods, creating problems for the impacted populations on the social and economic fronts. For example, the ecosystem of the river and the fertility of nearby agricultural land have both been impacted by the disruption of the sediment flow caused by the Aswan Dam construction in Egypt on the Nile River.

Large hydropower projects also confront difficulties with energy storage and dangers from dam failures. These projects frequently call for large reservoirs to store water for energy production, but the water supply in these reservoirs may vary seasonally, resulting in ineffective energy storage. Extreme weather-related dam breaches, such as those brought on by cloud bursts or glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), can result in catastrophes, human casualties, property loss, and adverse environmental effects. The recent GLOF of South Lhonak Lake in the North Western region of Sikkim resulted in the washing away of 1200 MW, 60m high Chungthang dam (Teesta III) on October 4th of 2023. The dam’s construction was commissioned in 2008 and came into operation in 2017, costing 25000 crores. This catastrophe resulted in 47 deaths, washing away 11 bridges, destroying domestic services affecting four districts in Sikkim.

South Lhonak Lake Outburst- Pre and Post Scenario (Left), Teesta 3 Dam before and after (Right)

Hydropower in India: Challenges and Mitigation

In India, hydropower has been a pillar of the renewable energy policy, and in 2022, it generated about 11% of the nation’s electricity. The hydropower potential of India is high due to its topography and water resources. The Indian government has established ecological impact assessment (EIA) agencies to examine prospective project’s environmental consequences and provide rules for rehabilitating displaced populations to address hydroelectric projects’ environmental and social repercussions. Before the construction of the largest hydroelectric project in the country- Tehri dam in Uttarakhand. The dam’s effects on the ecosystem of the river, the potential for displacing nearby villages, and the drowning of a sizable portion of land were all investigated by the EIA agency. Implementing mitigating measures, such as relocation and rehabilitation of impacted people and building fish ladders to enable fish migration, was based on the EIA’s conclusions.