India Cancels Gujarat, West Bengal Tidal Power Projects

Ocean-based tidal projects of Gujrat and in the Gangetic delta of Sunderbans in West Bengal have been cancelled by the respective state governments due to high capital costs, new and renewable energy minister R K Singh said on Thursda. “The government has not planned harnessing tidal power due to high capital cost ranging from Rs 30 crore to Rs 60 crore per megawatt (MW),” Singh said in a written reply in Parliament. India has a long coastline of 7,500 km with immense potential for ocean energy. According to a study by IIT Chennai and CRISIL in December 2014, the tidal power potential of the country is estimated at about 12,455 megawatt (MW). “The potential areas are in the Gulf of Khambhat, Gulf of Kutch and southern regions in Gujarat, Palk Bay-Mannar Channel in Tamil Nadu, and Hoogly river, South Haldia and Sunderbans in West Bengal,” he added. According to the study, the Gulf of Kambhat and Gulf of Kutch near Gujarat have an estimated potential of 7,000 MW and 1,200 MW, respectively, with Sunderbans having a potential of 100 MW. Tidal energy is a form of hydropower energy that exercises energy of the oceanic tides to generate electricity. India had shown its inclination towards tidal energy in 2011 when the 50 MW tidal energy plant was conceptualised in Gujarat. Globally, tidal energy plants are limited with only 500 MW capacity in operation with South Korea leading the actual and planned investments.