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Czech Hydropower Manufacturers on Visit to India

Czech water turbine manufacturers and hydropower companies presented themselves in India during an official business mission from 25th to 28th of June and visited Uttrakhand and Manipur, a mountainous regions with great potential for hydropower. Czech companies CINK Hydro-Energy, ČKD Turbo Technics, Mavel, Strojírny Brno and S.V.I.S. trade took part in the mission, which was prepared in cooperation between the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Delhi under the support of economic diplomacy program.
 

Czech hydropower companies have a good reputation in India and many existing Indian hydropower plants have Czech turbines from various manufacturers. After years of stagnation, the hydro power sector in India is beginning to come alive, also thanks to the new Hydro Power Policy of India, which will come into force shortly, and build on the National Hydropower Measures, which has stimulated large hydro sector since spring 2019 (above 25MW) in order to promote renewable energy sources.

To take an advantage of right momentum, 5 Czech companies joined our Embassy’s effort to present their products, accompanied by the Senior Director General of the Foreign Economic Policies II Department from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, Dr. Richard Hlavatý. Among the companies were CINK Hydro-Energy k.s., ČKD Turbo Technics, Mavel, Strojírny Brno and S.V.I.S. Trade.

 

Chilla Hydropower Plant

 

During the program, mountain state of Uttrakhand was first visited, where the official business mission viewed the Chilla hydropower station on the Ganga River. This site visit was one of the main pillars of the mission and its added value that the Czechs had the opportunity to visit the plant on site and see the specifics of hydropower in the Himalayas. In the capital city of Dehradun, entrepreneurs led by Ambassador Milan Hovorka were subsequently recieved by the top policy makers of Uttrakhand - Secretary Power and chairman of Ureda, Mrs. Radhika Jha or Principal Secretary Industries Manesha Pawat. An interesting discussion has also developed during separate meeting with the developer Uttrakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited – UJVNL.

The next day of the program was devoted to a visit of the Northeast, an area near the border with Myanmar, which includes 6 states of India and has a high untapped potential in hydropower. During a visit to the capital city of Manipur, Imphal, Czech entrepreneurs had the opportunity to meet with the Principal Secretary Power, Raghumani Singh, the management of MANIREDA (Manipur Renewable Energy Development Agency) and the complete management of the state-owned distribution company MSPDCL (Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited) to be informed about main attributes of power sector of Manipur, but also to devote time for interesting discussion. Despite the remoteness of the region, representatives of the state of Manipur have known Czech hydro power products as turbines purchased some decades ago still serve here today. Representatives of Manipur in return presented the pivotal project Loktak Downstream as well as barriers to the more dynamic development of hydropower in Manipur. Delegation further also called on Chief Secretary Suresh Babu.

 

with MANIREDA

 

Czech delegation presented itself the final day of the program at the International Small and Medium Enterprises Convention in Delhi, where the Czech Republic participated as a Partner Country. The Embassy secured for participating companies an exhibition stand, nice decoration and a mission catalogue of the participating companies for convention visitors. At the inaugural ceremony, Senior Director General Hlavatý appeared with a speech and won the busy hall by a part performed in fluent Hindi. The companies also had the opportunity to present themselves to the crowded hall during a separate block devoted to the Czech Republic and the time came also for many interesting B2B meetings.

 

Ministry of New and Renewable Energies

 

The delegation however also held a meeting at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of India with a team led by Secretary Anand Kumar. A very interesting meeting was the imaginary culmination of a multi-day program, during which the participating companies had the opportunity to meet with representatives of the Union government, states, discoms and transcoms as well as with developers and investors.

 

Milan Dostál, Economic Diplomat, Embassy of the Czech Republic in Delhi