An expert panel of the Union environment ministry has granted a preliminary nod to a 1,200 MW pumped hydropower project of the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) near Malshej Ghat, spread across villages in Thane and Pune districts of Maharashtra.
The Sectoral Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on river valley and hydroelectric projects gave the nod to carry out Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies with specific directions to submit water utilisation mapping during its November 12 meeting.
The preliminary permission, technically known as a grant of terms of reference (ToR), spells out the scope of an EIA study and forms the basis for a public hearing and the eventual environmental clearance.
The project site is in the Kalu River valley, close to Malshej Ghat and Kalu waterfall, famous destinations for trekkers in the monsoon. Three villages – Diwanpada, Sawarne, and Thitabi Tarf Vaishakhare – falling in the project area have been listed as eco-sensitive in the Centre’s 2024 draft notification on protection of Western Ghats.
THDC has proposed that the Malshej Ghat project will generate 1,200 MW of power using a closed-loop system, which means that the project’s reservoirs will not continuously draw water from a riverine system. The project, estimated to cost Rs 6,815 crore, will require 310 hectares of land, including 74 hectares of forest land and is located 3 kms away from the Kalsubai Harishchandragad wildlife sanctuary.
A 28-31 m high rock-filled dam will be built for the upper reservoir, and water from the Kalu River will be used initially to fill up the lower reservoir.
Since other pumped hydro projects have also proposed to draw water from the Kalu River, the EAC has directed the developers to obtain necessary hydrological clearances from the Central Water Commission and the state government, before the next round of appraisal for the environmental clearance, as per minutes of its meeting.
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The EAC observed that the small rivulets feeding water into the Kalu River may be affected due to the proposed project. Therefore, it advised THDC to ensure that no such rivulets are disturbed or impacted during project establishment.
Pumped storage or pumped hydro projects involve using the elevation difference between two reservoirs. Water is pumped up from the lower reservoir and is released back through turbines during high power demand to generate electricity. As part of its net-zero plans and to generate 500 GW of non-fossil-based power, the Centre has pushed expansion of pumped hydro generation.
As the project falls in the Western Ghat region, the EAC has also decided that a sub-committee will visit the project site before considering it for environmental clearance.
