Hydrological feasibility of a mini hydropower plant on Tiljuga river, Bihar, India

Hydro power is recognized as a renewable source of energy, which is economical, nonpolluting and environmentally benign. Small and mini hydel projects have the potential to provide energy in remote and hilly areas where extension of grid system is un-economical. In this background, a hydel power project has been proposed to be constructed by Bihar State Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited, Government of Bihar Enterprise, India on Tiljuga Dhar (a tributary of Kosi River flowing from Nepal) at Nirmali near Hariyahi village of Supaul district in the State of Bihar in India. The basic infrastructural need of this hilly terrain is environment friendly source of power which will accelerate the development of agro-based industries and arrest exodus of people in search of livelihood and would also control insurgency. The present work reports the feasibility analysis of the aforementioned hydel project. It has been found that if a dam, having 41 years of estimated reservoir life period, with a storage capacity of 7.05 MCM be constructed across Tijuga Dhar at Nirmali, a set of three hydel units with capacity of 610, 180 and 81 kW may be run in unison or alternately to generate power of 4.88 MW per annum.