Despite heavy rains in September and the subsequent blockage of its diversion tunnel, the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) India today said its 400-Mw Koteshwar dam would start its mechanical run on January 25. The Koteshwar dam is being built with a revised cost estimate of Rs 2,466.9 crore.
THDC India, a joint venture between the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government, was earlier hoping the Koteshwar dam would be commissioned in December. However, due to heavy rains on September 18-19 resulting in the flooding of the powerhouse, the commissioning date was postponed by nearly one and a half month. The total losses due to the flooding in the Koteshwar dam are stated to be around Rs 30 crore. Since the electronic and other vital parts of the dam are fully insured, the THDC India will not bear any losses in this regard, top officials said.
“Yes there is some blockage inside the diversion tunnel of the Koteshwar dam. But this will also not affect its commissioning date now which is slated to take place in February,” said D V Singh, director (technical) THDC India.
Singh said the first unit (100 Mw) of the Koteshwar dam will start its mechanical run on January 25.
Due to some fragile earth crust seepage on December 18 inside the tunnel as a fallout of the heavy rains in September, all the four units of the THDC’s 1,000 Mw Tehri hydel project were closed as a precautionary measure. However, Singh said five cumax of flow from the Tehri dam is still being maintained in order to meet the obligations of continuous flow of the Bhagirathi river.
Singh clarified the blockage inside the tunnel has not affected the commissioning of the Koteshwar dam in anyway. Regarding the closure of all the four units of Tehri project, Singh said the move will allow the THDC India to fill the reservoir further which will help the company to run the turbines during the lean period in March-April when the discharge in Bhagirathi river reduces considerably.
