Quality Assurance for Small Hydros:The Indian Initiative

摘要

Numerous hydro projects (up to 15 MW) are being constructed in developing countriessuch as India to provide a clean source of energy. The projects are leased by thefederal or state governments to small entrepreneurs with minimal or no experience inthe hydro industry based on project reports formulated by the state corporations,undertakings, and private developers. The Indian Renewable Energy DevelopmentAgency (IREDA), a non-banking financial institution, provides funding support throughloans and subsidies for the hydro projects. In order for the IREDA to monitor theseprojects and safeguard their investment, comprehensive quality assurance (QA)guidelines for the development, design, construction, and operation of small hydroprojects need to be developed. For the financing institution, the QA program will aim atmonitoring micro-level targets of performance with measuring tools at every stage ofproject development and implementation. The institution has to be satisfied with thedeveloper’s commitment to the terms of financial assistance at all stages. This paperoutlines the following approach adapted in developing a QA program for IREDA tomonitor the development of these projects.A QA system for a developing country should be flexible and consistent with conditionsin the prevailing project areas. The parameters in the program are classified asstandard, task-specific procedures, with inspections for monitoring. The QA program forthe IREDA includes project preparation, selection of consultant by a developer, designand estimation, tender documentation, bid evaluations for purchase of materials andequipment under the financing program, process control, erection of plant duringconstruction, plant operation, and evacuation of power supplies to the electricity grids.Other concerns that must be addressed in the QA program are the bankable/financeablenorms which warrant that formulations satisfy the minimum business and legalrequirement, ensure that obligations under the contract are predictable, and permitpayment of debt service, operation with maintenance expenses. A minimum return onequity must also be realized to retain intrinsic interest of the owner/developer and therisk of a developer in development, construction, and operations of a plant areadequately reflected in the formulations.