India’s future prosperity depends to a great extend on the ability to produce and use hydroelectricity. Currently, hydroelectricity accounts for about 13.5% of the total installed capacity. is has to be increased so that increasing demand for energy is met and at the same time, precious and scarce coal and petroleum resources are saved from over exploitation. Hydroelectricity is a renewable, cheap, clean and environmentally benign source of energy and will be available to us for all times to come. River water, if not properly used, will wastefully drain into the sea. India is blessed with huge water resources and vast possibilities of producing hydroelectricity. Some of the major hydroelectric power plants are mentioned below- Important Hydroelectric Plants in Different States of India
| States | Name of Hydroelectric Plants |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Lower Jhelum, Salal on Chenab, Dool Hasti, Karrah and Banihar. |
| Punjab and Himachal Pradesh | Bhakra-Nangal on Satluj, Dehar on Beas, Giri Bata, Andhra, Binwa, Rukti, Rongtong, |
| Bhabanagar, Bassi, Baira Siul, Chamera, Nathpa-Jhakri on Satluj (biggest hydel power | |
| project in India). | |
| Uttar Pradesh | Rihand, Khodri, Chibro on Tons. |
| Uttarakhand | Tehri dam on Bhagirathi. |
| Rajasthan | Ranapratap Sagar and Jawahar Sagar on Chambal. |
| Madhya Pradesh | Gandhi Sagar on Chambal, Pench, Bargi on Narmada, Bansagar-Tons. |
| Bihar | Kosi. |
| Jharkahnd | Subarnarekha, Maithon, Panchet, Tilaiya (all three under DVC). |
| Odisha | Hirakud on Mahanadi, Balimela. |
| North-eastern states | Dikhu, Doyand (both in Nagaland), Gomuti (Tripura), Loktak (Manipur), Kopili (Assam), |
| Khandong and Kyrdemkulai (Meghalaya), Serlui and Barabi (Mizoram), Ranganadi | |
| (Arunachal Pradesh). | |
| Gujarat | Ukai (Tapi), Kadana (Mahi). |
| Maharashtra | Koyana, Bhivpuri (Tata Hydroelectric Works), Khopoli, Bhola, Bhira, Purna, Vaiterna, |
| Paithon, Bhatnagar Beed. | |
| Andhra Pradesh | Lower Sileru, Upper Sileru, Machkund, Srisailam (Krishna). |
| Telangana | Nizam Sagar, Nagarjun Sagar |
| Karnataka | Tungabhadra, Saravati, Kalinadi, Mahatma Gandhi (Jog fall), Bhadra, Sivasamudram |
| (Kaveri), Shimasapura, Munirabad, Lungnamakki. | |
| Kerala | Iddikki (Periyar), Sabarigiri, Kuttiaddy, Sholayar, Sengulum, Pallivasal, Kallada, |
| Neriamangalam, Parambikulum Aliyar, Poringal, Ponniar. | |
| Tamil Nadu | Pykara, Mettur, Kodayar, Sholayar, Aliayar, Sakarpathi, Moyar, Suruliyar, Papanasam. |
Thermal Power
Thermal power is the major source of energy in which coal, diesel and natural gas are used for generation of electricity. Share of thermal electricity increased very rapidly after creation of the National Thermal Corporation (NTPC) in 1975. At present, thermal power accounts for about 82% of the total installed capacity. Following are the major thermal power plants in India. Major Thermal Power Stations in India
| State | Thermal Power Stations |
| Maharashtra | Karadi, Nashik, Kaparkheda, Paras, Bhusawal, Parli, Uran, Ballarshah, Chola, Trombay, Kolhapur, |
| Dhobal | |
| Gujarat | Banas, Gandhinagar, Kachchh, Sabarmati, Wanskbori, Kawas, Sikka, Mahuva, Utran, Shapur, |
| Porbandar, Kandla, Ahmedabad, Dhuvaram, Ukai. | |
| Andhra Pradesh | Ramagudam, Kothagudam, Nallore, Vijayawada, Bhadrachalam, Manuguru. |
| West Bengal | Bundel, Kolkata, Durgapur, Farakka, Murshidabad, Birbhum, Kalaghat, Titagarh, Mejia, Santaldih, |
| Gauripur. | |
| Tamil Nadu | Neyveli, Mettur, Ennore, Tuticorin. |
| Uttar Pradesh | Obra, Harduaganj, Renusgar, Rosa, Jawaharpur, Unchohar, Rihand, Kanpur, Mau, Gorakhpur, | |
| Dohrighat, Moradabad, Tundla, Bahraich. | ||
| Madhya Pradesh | Singrauli, Satpura, Amarkantak. | |
| Jharkhand | Durgapur, Subarnarekha, Chandrapura. | |
| Chhattisgarh | Korba. | |
| Haryana | Faridabad, Panipat, Yamunanagar. | |
| Punjab | Bhatinda, Roopnagar. | |
| Delhi | Indraprastha, Rajghat, Badarpur. | |
| Rajasthan | Kota, Polana, Sawai Madhiopur, Banswara, Anta. | |
| Assam | Namrup, Bongaigaon, Chandarpur. | |
| Odisha | Telcher, Bailimela. | |
| Bihar | Barauni, Kahalgaon. | |