Sikkim Power Development Corporation Limited (SPDCL) is not only the latest member to join the International Hydropower Association but the sole representative from India, with many others to follow. India is a potential hydro powerhouse. The technology is playing a crucial role in the country’s clean energy transition, with installed capacity of 52 GW in 2022 and its recent policy on pumped storage hydropower being amongst the most ambitious in the word.

SPDCL is a Sikkim Government-owned power enterprise with headquarters in Gangtok, India that is leading the way in the advancement of small-scale hydropower. Formed in 1998/99, the corporation was created to boost the hydroelectric potential in the state of Sikkim as well as expand access to electricity for local communities. In the past, SPDCL has also supported various independent power producers for the development of projects above 25 MW in Sikkim.

In 2005, SPDCL significantly expanded its hydropower portfolio, gaining the rights to develop fifteen hydropower projects and currently has several other small projects in progress.

Eddie Rich, CEO of IHA, celebrated SPDCL joining the association: “SPDCL’s membership signals a renaissance of hydropower in India. Hydropower potential is immense throughout South Asia and companies like SPDCL are ambitiously seeking to make use of its state’s natural advantage to create clean, green and affordable energy for its citizens and export.”