Global Hydropower Generation And Nepal

By DR. AB THAPA

Our media, planners, politicians etc are never tired of telling that Nepal is the second richest country in the world after Brazil in hydropower resources. They chose to ignore even though they are repeatedly told that neither the Brazil is the world’s richest country in hydropower resources nor Nepal is the second richest. There are a number of countries even in our own neighborhood such as China, India and Russia possessing far more hydropower resources by comparison with Nepal. China is the richest country in the world in hydropower resources. According to some recent data the hydropower potential of China is estimated to be about 676 million KW. Hydropower potential of Brazil is only about 365 million KW. Hydropower potentials of Russia, India, Peru, Colombia, Canada and Ecuador are 330 million KW, 300 million KW, 210 million KW, 147 million KW, 110 million KW and 93 million KW respectively. Technically feasible hydropower potential of Congo is 120 million KW. Thus the total hydropower potential of Congo should be far more than 110 million KW. Hydropower potential of Nepal is only about 83 million KW.

There was a funny incident that explains how little we know about the hydropower resources vis-à-vis our own hydropower resources in general and the techno-economic limitations in transmitting electricity across a very long distance in particular. Certain section of media and planners were upbeat when one of the multinational hydropower developers proposed a silly plan to develop Nepal’s abundant hydropower resources to export hydroelectricity to China Some of us might have been terribly shocked when that very multinational company was severely punished a few years later for its deceptive deeds in its own home country. However, many of us might not have still realized that we were being deliberately misled.

Among the rivers the hydropower potential of the Congo River is the highest in the world. Next to Congo River in ranking is the Brahmaputra River. According to the estimate of Dr. Hariman Shrestha the hydropower potential of Nepal is around 83 million KW. Up till now we have been able to build hydropower stations with a total installed capacity of only about 0.5 million KW.

Current Status of Hydropower Generation

Worldwide, hydropower represented 19 percent of the total energy generated in 1999, the most recent year for which data are available. In many countries, hydroelectric power is the dominant source of electric power. In 1999 Norway derived 99 percent of its power from hydroelectric plants Canada, the largest producer of hydroelectric power in the world, generated 340.3 billion KWh. in 1999. This figure constituted 60 percent of the nation’s electric power. Hydroelectric-power generation in the United States increased from about 16 billion KWh in 1920 to 305.6 billion KWh in 1999. Although the United States runs a close second to Canada in the total amount of hydroelectric power produced, only 8 percent of the electric power used in the United States was generated by hydroelectric power plants in 1999.

In the early 1990s Norway obtained about three-quarters of its total energy requirements from electricity. Electricity production in 1999 was 121 billion kilowatt-hours, nearly all of which was in waterpower stations. Hydropower potential of Norway is about 62 million KW.

Canada Leading Producer of Hydroelectricity

In 1999 Canada’s annual output of electricity was 567 billion kilowatt hours, of which 60 percent was provided by hydroelectric plants, 12 percent by nuclear power plants, and 26.38 percent by conventional thermal plants using fossil fuels. Endowed with many fast-flowing rivers, Canada is the world’s leading producer of hydroelectricity. More than 85 percent of the country’s hydroelectric output is generated in the provinces of Québec, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, and British Columbia. The largest hydroelectric complex in Canada or the United States is on La Grande Rivière, near James Bay in Québec. It has three hydroelectric stations, and is owned and operated by the public utility Hydro-Québec. Its total capacity is 10.3 million kilowatts. The powerhouses on La Grande Rivière constitute the first phase of a larger planned hydroelectric project. Churchill Falls, in the Labrador region of Newfoundland, is another major Canadian hydroelectric facility.

Half of Canada’s thermoelectric energy—electricity produced by heat or burning—is generated in Alberta, which has extensive coal, oil, and natural gas resources. Another 20 percent is generated in Ontario, mainly using coal imported from the United States. The remainder is generated in Saskatchewan and British Columbia, using local coal supplies. Coal accounts for about half the fuel used in Canadian thermoelectric plants. Due to environmental concerns, most plants are introducing methods to reduce pollution. The chief pollution problem has been acid rain, in which airborne byproducts of the burning combine with moisture in the air to form toxic sulfuric and nitric acids.

Since the early 1950s Canada has sought to use its abundant resources of natural uranium to generate electricity through nuclear reactions. The first nuclear power plant, a demonstration station at Rolphton, Ontario, was completed in 1962. A large nuclear plant was opened at Pickering, Ontario, in the early 1970s. In addition, a large complex of nuclear facilities on the Bruce Peninsula, in Ontario, is owned and operated by Ontario Power Generation. In 2001 Canada had 14 nuclear facilities; the majority of nuclear generation occurs in Ontario.

It is anticipated that nuclear power will decline in significance in Canada. However, a public corporation, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, at Ottawa’s request is pursuing an export market for Canadian-designed nuclear reactors. One of these was brought into production in Romania in 1996, and three are under construction in South Korea. A proposed sale of nuclear reactors to China has raised public concern about environmental consequences.

The United States

The hydropower potential of the USA is considered to be 60 million KW out of it economically feasible potential is about 43 million KW. Similarly the technically feasible hydropower capacity is considered to be 150 million KW. The USA had built by 1991 hydropower stations with a total 73.5 million KW installed capacity to utilize 31.5 million KW hydropower potential.

The United States consumes 25 percent of the world’s energy, far more than any other country, despite having less than 5 percent of the world’s population. As a result of the nation’s high energy consumption, the United States accounts for nearly 20 percent of the global emissions of greenhouse gases. These gases—carbon dioxide, methane, and oxides of nitrogen—result from the burning of fossil fuels, and they can have a harmful effect on the environment.

Some 33 percent of the energy consumed in the United States is used in the generation of electricity. In 1999 the nation’s generating plants had a total installed capacity of 728 million KW and produced 3.68 trillion KWh of electricity. Coal is the most common fuel used by electric power plants, and 57 percent of the nation’s yearly electricity is generated in coal-fired plants. The states producing the most coal-generated electricity are Ohio, Texas, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Illinois, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Georgia.

Natural gas accounts for 9 percent of the electricity produced, and refined petroleum for 2 percent. The states producing the most electricity from natural gas are Texas and California. The leading producers of hydroelectricity are Washington, Oregon, New York, and California. About 8 percent of the electricity produced in the USA is generated by hydropower plants.

Illinois, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and California have the largest nuclear power industries. Nuclear power is now a controversial energy source: it is inexpensive and creates no air pollution, but the radioactivity released during accidents at nuclear power plants has caused deaths and environmental damage.

Petroleum is a key resource for extensive use of private automobiles and trucks for commerce and businesses. Since 1947, when the United States became a net importer of oil, annual domestic production has not been enough to meet the demands.

In 1970 domestic crude-oil production reached a record high of 3.5 billion barrels, but this had to be supplemented by imports amounting to 12 percent of the nation’s overall crude oil supply. In 1973 the nation imported about one-fourth of its total supply of crude oil. Imports continued to rise until 1977, when about half of the crude and refined oil supply was imported. Imports then declined for a time, largely because energy-conservation measures were introduced and because other domestic energy sources such as coal were used increasingly. As of 1997, however, 47 percent of the crude oil needs of the United States were met by net imports.

Austria

Hydropower potential of Austria is 17 million KW out of it technically feasible potential is about 8.5 million KW. Austria has numerous hydroelectric installations, which together produced 68 percent of the country’s electrical output in 1999. Austria generated a total of 59.3 billion KWh of electricity. Substantial amounts of hydroelectricity were exported to other European countries, but Austria was forced to import natural gas and crude petroleum to meet its energy needs.

Switzerland

Hydropower potential of Switzerland is about 16 million KW out of it technically feasible potential is 4.5 million KW. By 1991 Switzerland had utilized about 75% of its technically feasible hydropower potential. Some 59 percent of its electricity was produced in hydroelectric facilities in 1999. Nearly all of the rest was generated in nuclear power plants. Total electricity generation from all sources in 1999 was 66.8 billion KWh.

India

India’s energy is heavily dependent upon coal. In 1995 coal provided nearly 65 percent of India’s primary energy needs. The next most important energy source was petroleum (18.6 percent), followed by hydroelectricity (8.9 percent) and natural gas (8.2 percent). Nuclear power contributes only 1 percent of the country’s primary energy needs. Thermal plants, principally burning coal, produce 79 percent of India’s electricity. Hydroelectric plants generate 18 percent, while nuclear power supplies the remainder. In the mid-1990s India imported slightly more than half its energy needs, particularly crude oil and petroleum products. In order to meet its high energy demands, the Indian government planned in the mid-1990s to more than double the number of oil refineries and nearly double the number of nuclear reactors.

France

The hydropower potential of France is about 30 million KW out of it technically feasible potential is only about 8 million KW. By 1991 France had utilized more than 80% of its technically feasible hydropower potential.

France is endowed with few other natural energy resources. An oil crisis in 1973 demonstrated the danger of France’s dependence on foreign oil, and the French government undertook new initiatives to develop alternative energy sources. Much of this effort centered on an ambitious program to generate electricity through nuclear energy. France also diversified the types and sources of imported energy and promoted energy conservation. These programs significantly reduced France’s dependence on external energy sources. In 1998 slightly more than half the energy used in France was produced domestically.

France generated 75.4 percent of its electricity in nuclear power plants in 1999. France is the world’s second largest producer of nuclear electricity, after the United States. Today there are 19 nuclear power generation sites in France, as well as one of the world's largest uranium enrichment plants. The development of nuclear power in France has raised relatively few popular protests. The remainder of France’s electricity output is generated by hydroelectric facilities and by thermal installations using coal, petroleum products, or natural gas. In 1966 France opened a tidal power plant on the Rance River in Brittany to harness the tremendous power of the ocean tides. France produces more electricity than it uses and is a major exporter of electricity to neighboring countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy, and Switzerland.

(Dr. Thapa writes on water resources)