SJVN Inaugurates India's First Multi-purpose Green Hydrogen Pilot Project in Himachal Pradesh

SJVN, a public sector undertaking in the power sector, unveiled the country's inaugural Multi-purpose Green Hydrogen Pilot Project at the 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station (NJHPS) in Jhakri, Himachal Pradesh.

Geeta Kapur, Chairman and Managing Director of SJVN, inaugurated the project, comprising a 20Nm3/hr Electrolyzer and a 25kW Fuel Cell Capacity. This initiative not only establishes the nation's first Multi-purpose Green Hydrogen Generation Plant but also introduces the capability to meet the High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) Coating Facility's combustion fuel requirements at NJHPS while generating electricity through its fuel cell.

"This project is aligned with the National Green Hydrogen Mission of the Government of India. It is poised to accelerate the development of green hydrogen production infrastructure in the power sector, establishing green hydrogen as a clean energy source," stated Kapur.

The process involves producing hydrogen gas by splitting hydrogen and oxygen from water using an alkaline electrolyzer with a capacity of 20Nm3/hr. Renewable energy from SJVN's 1.31 MW Solar Power Plant in Wadhal, Himachal Pradesh, powers this electrolysis process.

The Pilot Project is expected to yield 14 kg of Green Hydrogen daily during its 8 hours of operation. The produced hydrogen will be stored in six storage tanks with a total capacity of 12 m3 at 30 bar pressure. It will serve the purpose of HVOF Coating for turbine underwater parts and generate electricity through its 25kW capacity fuel cell.

During the inauguration, CMD Kapur also inaugurated the Centralized Operation of the 1500 MW NJHPS and 412 MW Rampur Hydro Power Station (Rampur HPS) by remotely operating Unit-2 of RHPS from NJHPS control room at Jhakri. Rampur HPS is being operated successfully on a Tandem Operating System with NJHPS.

Commending the dedicated efforts of NJHPS, Rampur HPS, and the Electrical Design Team at the Corporate Headquarters, Kapur urged employees to continue working diligently towards fully operating the entire power station from NJHPS at the earliest.

Also present during these events were Manoj Kumar, Head of Project (NJHPS), Vikas Marwah, Head of Project (Rampur HPS), Harish Kumar Sharma, Head of Department (Electrical Design), along with senior officials of NJHPS, Rampur HPS, and corporate headquarters.