Sikkim's largest hydel project, the 1200 MW Teesta Stage III at Chungthang in North district, delayed by the 18 September 2011 earthquake is expected to begin phase-wise generation by the end of the year.
The project was originally scheduled to be commissioned by November 2011, a deadline made impossible by the earthquake.
Senior officials at the Energy & Power Department said that the first phase of operation of one of the six turbines of 200 MW capacity each is expected to begin in December 2013 and all six turbines made operative by April next year.
A major hurdle in completion of work on the project site is the construction of Rangchang bridge which had collapsed on 19 December, 2011.
Once the bridge was restored, equipment could be trucked to the project site at Chungthang and final work on the project undertaken, the officials said.
Former Secretary to the state government KN Bhutia, recently appointed chairperson to the Teesta Urja board of directors by the government, is monitoring the project development.
Teesta Stage III is a joint venture project between the state government and Teesta Urja Pvt Ltd.
The state government will get 12 per cent of the generated electricity from the project free of cost along with one per cent more as environment cess.
