Bengal cabinet okays new pump storage hydel project

The West Bengal cabinet today gave its nod to a new pump storage hydel project in Purulia district.
State Power Minister Shobandeb Chatterjee said that there would be four pumps of 250 MW for the 1,000 MW Turga Pump Storage Hydel Power Project in West Bengal's Purulia district.
An estimated Rs 4650.99 crore has been allocated for the project which will address the gap between supply and demand during a pick season, Chatterjee said.
The state will bear 15 per cent of the project cost while the rest 85 per cent will be taken from external aid as loan, Chatterjee said.

The loan will be taken from Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), Chatterjee said adding that the deadline of the project was 81 months.
Talking about the uniqueness of the project, Chatterjee said that water would be pumped up using solar energy supplied through Hydel power.