Bhubaneswar: All set for Odisha to scale up its renewable energy footprint, the Energy Department is bringing together industry leaders and policymakers for a Stakeholder Dialogue on the Small Hydro Power (SHP) Development Scheme on September 11, 2026.
Shri Vishal Dev, Additional Chief Secretary Energy and E&IT, will deliver the Special Address at the gathering. The initiative seeks to bring together government agencies, developers, financiers, regulatory experts, and sector specialists to establish an investment-ready action plan tailored for Odisha.
The high-level consultation focuses on accelerating small-scale hydroelectric project development to tap into the region’s unexploited clean power potential.
Organized in partnership with Gridco Odisha, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited, the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited, and iFOREST, the event aims to drive regional clean energy development.
Small Hydro Power projects, defined in the 1 to 25 MW capacity range, deliver reliable local clean energy while maintaining a smaller environmental footprint and shorter setup timelines compared to major hydroelectric installations.
India currently possesses an estimated Small Hydro Power potential of 21,133.61 MW, though only around 5,171 MW has been developed nationally.
Odisha holds a notable share of these unexploited water resources, presenting significant expansion opportunities through dedicated policy measures and capital allocation.
Participants at the dialogue will evaluate the technical, financial, and regulatory frameworks required to overcome deployment bottlenecks and accelerate sustainable hydropower expansion across the state.