Small Hydro Power has a distinctive role in India’s clean energy transition: Shri Shripad Yesso Naik

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy organized a curtain-raiser programme for the dedicated Small Hydro Power (SHP) session at the upcoming Bharat Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026. Officials highlighted that India's assessed Small Hydro Power potential stands at around 21 GW across more than 7,100 sites, with approximately 5.2 GW currently harnessed. To unlock further capacity, the government has proposed a Small Hydro Power Development Scheme for 2026–27 to 2030–31 with an outlay of ₹2,584.60 crore, aiming to add about 1,500 MW of new capacity. Key challenges discussed included long project lead times, regulatory clearances, and the need for patient capital from financial institutions to improve project bankability.