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Guidelines for taking up Mini Hydel Schemes on Irrigation Canals,
Head Regulators, Streams and Vagus
Hydro-electric power is one of the cleanest and most viable renewable

sources of energy. Andhra Pradesh Government has been constantly promoting
setting up of non-conventional power plants, including hydro, through various
policies, incentives and agencies specially created for this purpose. At present
the Mini Hydel Schemes in the State are governed by GO No. 165 I&CAD
(Reforms) Dept. dt. 11.07.2007. In view of the still untapped large potential of
hydropower within the State, Government of Andhra Pradesh intends to
enunciate a new comprehensive and progressive promotional policy of taking up
Mini Hydel Schemes to rapidly and fully harness the potential available across the
State. Accordingly these new guidelines have been framed with the aim to
address the needs of Mini Hydel sector and objections raised by the
WUAs/farmers to have a smooth un-interrupted flow in the canals. Government
invites suggestions, objections and views from all interested persons, N.G.Os’,
experts etc.,. on the policy guidelines for taking into consideration before
announcing the new policy. The guidelines are given below in 2 sections:
I (Section) Selection of Developers:
1. It is proposed to finalize the selection of Developers for all new sites by
way of competitive bidding instead of first come first right.
2. The bidding would be thrown open to technically and financially qualified
bidders only. The norms for the pre-qualification would be finalized in due
course.
3. All the pre-qualified bidders shall be required to deposit a fixed amount of
Rs. 5 lakhs per M.W. as base fees and then quote their offer of sharing the
percentage of their generated power free of cost to the Irrigation
Department through APTRANSCO. The minimum such free power to be
shared would be 12% and the selection of the bidder would be on the
basis of higher offer of giving free power to the APTRANSCO.
4. The Developer shall pay a royalty of Rs. 0.05 (5 paise) per unit of power
generated to Irrigation Department.
5. The lease period for constructing and operating of Mini Hydel Scheme is
33 years from the date of NOC, after which the Developer shall handover
the scheme in good working condition to the Irrigation Department.
II (Section) Operating Conditions:
1. The supply of water on time to the farmers is the primary purpose of the
Canals. Accordingly the flow pattern in the river/stream/canal should not
be disturbed and diversion into the MH scheme shall in no way affect the
upper/lower riparian rights.
2. Control of gate operation at the Mini Hydel Stations shall be vested with
Irrigation Department only. No heading up of water during lean flows shall
be allowed.
3. Sufficient man power is to be provided to operate gates and the
remuneration is a part of payment made by the developer to the
Government.
4. Power generation has to be recorded automatically at ½ an hour interval
to monitor the utilization of water by the developer and readings shall be
furnished to the concerned Division daily. This will indicate any
fluctuations in power due to heading up of water.
5. All the designs must be vetted by the Chief Engineer, CDO before
execution and clearance to be given by APGENCO & Irrigation
Department before commissioning.
6. Cement concrete lining of inlet and tailrace channels may be insisted
upon based on the site conditions.
7. The off-take sluices at the off-take point in the and rivers & canals should
be constructed as per the designs approved in this regard by the
Irrigation Department.
8. The developer shall provide and maintain flow meters at the point of
inlets into the approach channel and at the point of tailrace channel
for measuring discharges in connection with water regulation, In the
event that both the recordings are not the same, the higher of the two,
would be considered for calculating the royalty charges. The data
generated through the flow meters is to be transmitted to the control
room of Irrigation & CAD Department on daily basis.
9. The operation of the Mini-Hyde! Scheme shall be suitably modified in the

event of floods and other natural exigencies.
a) The operational plan of the Mini Hydel Schemes would be evolved and
got approved by the competent authority of Government of
Andhra Pradesh during flood situations and other natural exigencies.
b) Andhra Pradesh Transco shall provide power evaluation facilities to the
Mini-Hydel Scheme at the cost of the developer as per the
conditions stipulated by APGENCO / APTRANSCO / DISCOM or the
developer may ensure the power evaluation facilities as sanctioned
by APGENCO/APTRANSCO / DISCOM at their cost.
c) Necessary safety arrangements have to be made at the cost of the
developer.
10. The department shall reserve the right to conduct inspections and tests
at all times. Before charging the water conductor system, the statutory
inspections would be done by concerned Superintending Engineer or
Executive Engineer of Irrigation Department on the lines of the
inspection being carried out by Superintending Engineer or Divisional
Engineer of APGENCO / APTRANSCO before commissioning the
Generation station and connecting transmission line. The developer also
shall provide free access to Upstream and Downstream points in Power
Generation canals by constructing Bridges on Power Generation canals
and provide independent necessary approaches, to enable department
vehicles move on Power Generation canals, and to operate the inlet into
Mini-Hydel Scheme, diversion gates, independently by Department
Engineers.
11. The developer shall bear the costs towards modifications required if any
to the Canal system and its structures that become necessary on
establishment of Mini-Hydel Schemes. The developers shall construct
and maintain protection bund 1.50 m above MWL on upstream up to
where the ground levels are above bund levels and also to take up
necessary protection works for the banks on Downstream at the
confluence of tailrace channel with mainstream. The developer shall
maintain Power Generation canal on both upstream & downstream for a
length of about 5 Km for Power Generation at their cost, since the
developer would be using the canal system constructed by the
Government. The Developers shall also provide sluice in the
weir/diversion structure as scouring sluice for allowing lean flows.
12. The developer shall demonstrate on the safety and proper functioning of
the by-pass system and obtain clearance from the Department before
commencement of power generation every year. If the establishment
of Mini Hydel Schemes on rivers &canals natural streams creates
environmental and ecological problems and also cause meandering of
the river, scouring and shoaling of the adjoining lands (public and
private) on a large scale during flood flow periods, the Developer would
be responsible for rectifying all such damages.
13. The developer shall attend to necessary works as may be suggested by

the department from time to time at his cost and within the time limit
fixed by the Department. The decision of the Superintending
Engineer, Irrigation, shall be final on all such matters. Failure to
execute the works suggested by the department by the developer at
his cost entails cancellation of "No Objection Certificate" forfeiture of
deposits and the expenditure incurred by the department in
maintaining the River / canal and the river banks including protection -
works is recoverable from the developer.
14. The developer shall attend to necessary works at his own cost to
maintain the River / canal and River banks including protection works
to avoid meandering of river, scouring and shoaling of the adjoining
lands.
15. The operation of Mini Hydel Schemes shall not be detrimental to the
water regulation of envisaged ayacut and flows to lower down reservoirs
and Irrigation & CAD Department shall have the right to cancel the
permission.
Suggestions and Objections on the above guidelines may be sent to the

Engineer-in-Chief (Irrigation), 2 nd floor , Jalasoudha, Errummanzil,
Hyderabad- 82 or may be sent to the Email Id : enc_major@yahoo.co.in
should reach before 07-08-12 by 2 p.m.

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Guidelines for taking up Mini Hydel Schemes on Irrigation Canals,

Head Regulators, Streams and Vagus

Hydro-electric power is one of the cleanest and most viable renewable

9. The operation of the Mini-Hyde! Scheme shall be suitably modified in the

13. The developer shall attend to necessary works as may be suggested by

Suggestions and Objections on the above guidelines may be sent to the

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