Identification of Suitable Locations for Mini Hydal Power Plants Using Geomatics

Power is a very important infrastructure of the overall development of a nation. It is the basic input for the industrial and economic growth of the country. Hydropower is a key energy resource for power generation. India is blessed with immense amount of hydro-electric potential. The natural topography of the country like India, with large number of rivers and streams provides excellent opportunities to harness the energy stored in flowing waters. In 1998, Government of India announced "Policy on Hydro Power Development" under which impetus is given to development of hydropower in the country. This was a welcome step towards effective utilization of our water resources in the direction of hydropower development. The Optimum utilization of water resources plays a vital role in the development of country’s economy. India is well endowed with rainfall and is one of the wettest countries in the world with annual precipitation estimated to be around 400 millions hectare-meters. All the power generation projects have to be justified from the point of view of power requirement, technical feasibility, economic justification and environmental impact.