BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has decided to seek the help of Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS) for setting up mini and micro hydel projects for generation of clean and cheap electricity. A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here today. In a bid to increase generation of electricity to meet the growing demand, the State Government has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with 30 independent power producers (IPPs). WAPCOS, a Government of India undertaking, has been requested to provide technical know-how, designs and plan for construction of mini and micro hydel projects. The technical committee set up by the State Government has already cleared 32 of the 82 proposals for establishment of mini and micro hydel projects. The Water Resources Department will set up a dedicated cell for the purpose. Minister of State for Energy Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said out of the 32 projects, three have already started generation. Together, the three projects, two in Koraput and one in Talcher, generate 57 MW of electricity, the minister said and added that the 32 units would have a combined capacity of producing about 350 MW. The private parties, who have applied for installing the mini-hydel projects, would be spending about Rs 5 crore for generation of one MW of electricity.