Loharinag Pala Hydropower Project

Loharinag Pala Hydro Power Project is a run-of-the-river hydroelectricity generating project planned by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Ltd to have an output capacity of 600 MW (150 MW x 4 Units). The project is located on the river Bhagirathi, the headstream of the Ganges River at Loharinag Pala, below the confluence of the Songad River ,next to NH 108 in Uttarkashi District of Uttaranchal state, India. This is about 100 kilometres (62 mi) upstream of the controversial Tehri Dam.

The main project construction contracts were awarded and construction started in 2006, however, work was stopped in 2009 after Professor G. D. Agrawal, one of India's eminent scientists, came close to dying on the 38th day of his fast in protest of the blocking the headwaters of the sacred Ganges river.

The Loharinag-Pala project was one of several hundred dams and barrages planned or now being constructed by India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan in the southern foothills of the Himalayas. Together they are expected to provide 150,000 MW of electricity for areas in which power cuts are frequent and demand is growing fast.

Description

The Hydroelectricity project had been envisaged for installation of 4 generating Units of 150 MW utilizing a hydraulic head of 476.5 metres (1,563 ft) to have a maximum capacity of 600 MW. The facilities would include 4 vertical shaft Francis turbines. The generators would be of synchronous vertical shaft type. The generators would have capacity at a lagging power factor of 0.90, 3 phase, 250 rpm, and rated voltage of 11 to 18 KV. The generator transformer would be 4 nos oil forced air forced (OFAF) type with step-up voltage capacity 0f 400 KV. The estimate of Greenhouse gases (GHG) abatement in tonnes CO2 equivalent is 5,268,027 t (Starting from 2010). Host Country Approval Status was Approved.

The Project Owner/Proponent was Mr. Piyush Pradhan, CDM Representative, Engineering Division, Project Engineering (Mech-CDM) (NTPC) Limited, NTPC Bhawan, Core-7; Scope Complex, 7-Institutional Area, Lodhi Road NTPC Bhawan , Scope Complex, New Delhi – 110003. The baseline methodology used for the project evaluation was ACM 0002: Consolidated methodology for grid-connected electricity generation from renewable sources – version 6; The latest version of the tool for demonstration and assessment of additionality (the additionality tool). The xpected date for commissioning of the project was in the year 2010. Duration of the project activity is 21 years.

Project land

Private land

For 16.455 ha of private land, The District Manager (DM), Uttarkashi was instructed by The Government of Uttaranchal state (GoUA) to issue award in line to land acquisition (LA) Account. The Village Development Advisory Committee (VDAC) meeting was held on 08-05-2006 at Uttarkashi. Issue of Award by the Special Land Acquisition Officer (SLAO) is awaited.

Forest land/Government land

For Reserve Forest Civil Soyam land (Total 139.029 ha), the draft CAT Plan was submitted by District Forest Officer, Uttarkashi on 20-02-06. Approval of the Catchment Area Treatment (CAT) Plan by GoUA was yet to be done.

For Forest Clearance, The Certificate for "Non Availability of Non-Forest Land for afforestation" was obtained by UPCL from Chief Secretary (UA). Certificate was submitted to Nodal Officer on 01-05-2006. Proposal is to be cleared by Nodal Officer.

Township land

For Township Land at Matli, private land needed was 11.383 ha. and Government Land needed was 1.835 ha. The revised proposal for Section IV was submitted in DM Office on 23-03-06. The Proposal was to be sent by DM, Uttarkashi to GoUA.

For Township Land at Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Colony at Kyark, private land needed was 9.979 ha. and Government land needed was 1.436 ha. The Proposal for Section IV was submitted in DM Office on 17-03-06. The Proposal was to be sent to GoUA by DM, Uttarkashi. The project site is below the confluence of the Songad river on the Bhagirathi River in the Garhwal Himalaya. The barrage site is next to NH 108 at Loharinag town . The Project has a mountainous catchment area is 3,316 square kilometres (1,280 sq mi), of which 1,849 square kilometres (714 sq mi) (56%) is covered in snow or glacier. The source of the Bhagirathi is about 82 km (51 mi) above the barrage.

Construction of approach roads

For construction of approach road to Dabrani an additional 750 m of Private, Forest and Govt land was needed. The LOA No. was LOA-54 dated 07-04-05 and the Deposit Work Name of Agency was PWD, UA. Completion Period was 6 onths. The Date PWD Awarded the Work was 18-06-2005, Date of Start of Work was 01-08-2005 and the scheduled completion date was 31-01-2006. The formation required was 750m but formation made was 650 m. Private Land acquisition was required to re-start the work.

For construction of approach road to Gunagu an additional 4000 m of Private, Forest and Govt land was needed. The LOA No. was LOA-32 dated 20-12-04 and Deposit Work Name of Agency was PWD, UA. The completion period was 10 months and date PWD awarded the work was 28-02-2005. The date of start of Work was 16-07-2005, scheduled completion date was 16-05-2006, formation Required was 4000m, but formation made was 1500 m.

For construction of approach road to Helgu an additional 6000 m private, forest and Govt land was needed. The LOA No. LOA-53 was dated 07-04-05. Deposit Work, Name of Agencyv was PWD, UA. The completion period was 20 months, date PWD awarded the work was 18-06-2005, date of start of work was 19-01-2006, scheduled completion date was 18-09-2007. The formation required was 6000 m but formation made was 425 m.

For construction of approach road to surge shaft, a 6810 m Bhukki to Kujjan road was needed. LOA No. was LOA-09 dated 29-03-04. The Deposit Work Name of Agency was BRO. Completion Period was 24 Months, date of start of work was 01-07-2005 and scheduled completion date was 30-06-2007. Formation Required was 6810 m but formation made was 1100 m. Private Land acquisition was required to re-start the work.

Construction of dam and powerhouse

For construction of 3 units, there were audits of 18-01-05 account, 17-03-05 account and 29-07-05 account, 13 Months were Awarded. For Head Race Tunnel Package, on 18-04-05 account, 15-09-05 account and June’06 account, there were 38 Months. Evaluation was in progress. For underground Power House & Penstock Package on 25-10-05 account, May’06 account and Sept’06, there was schedule for 45 Months. Bids were Invited. For Electro-Mechanical Package April’06 account, 09-06-06 and schedule Oct’06, there was schedule for 44 Months. Bids were Invited. For hydro- mechanical package, Jan’ 06, Account 31-05-06 Schedule Sep’06, Schedule 40 Months Bids were Invited. For construction of Barrage & De-silting chamber 16-08-05, account 16-12-05. account June’06 and anticipated 40 Months, the evaluation was in progress.

Commissioning

Old Schedule

Commissioning dates scheduled were: UNIT #1 October ’2010, UNIT #2 December ’2010, UNIT #3 February ’2011 and UNIT #4 - March ’2011.

Update

Work on the Loharinag Pala Hydro Power Project was stopped after one of India's eminent scientists came close to dying on the 38th day of his fast in protest of the harnessing of the river Bhagirathi, a source stream of the Ganges River.

Professor G. D. Agrawal (b. 1932), former dean of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, in the first week of March 2009 called off his second fast in a year against Himalayan dam projects, after the Indian government agreed to speed up its inquiry into how electricity could be generated without the flow of the Ganges being impeded. The free-running of the river is a crucial element of its sacred status.

Before his fast began in January, Agrawal said,: "The water ...(of the Ganges) is not ordinary water to a Hindu. It is a matter of the life and death of Hindu faith".

Impact

Addition of 2,353.37 GWh of electricity generation to the Northern region grid would be the main measurable benefit of the Project. The average unit cost of electricity generated by the plant would be about Rs2.00 (US$ 0.0455) per kWh. The project appears to be economically viable under normal operating conditions. This table power supply is crucial for increased employmen balanced growth in the area. The unit power cost from plants like the Loharinag–Pala HEP is less than the cost of private on site generation of electricity due to less-efficient technology and high fuel cost used of private off-grid generation.

The Environmental impact statement (EIS) prepared by the NTPC indicates the main adverse environmental impacts of the project will be changes in river hydrology, a decline in the quality of aquatic ecosystems, loss of agricultural and forest land, and resettlement. Impacts on the rivers will be mitigated by the release of a 0.85–1.1 m3/s minimum environmentally acceptable dry season flow from the Loharinag–Pala dam, the release of monsoon season flushing flows, and yearly restocking of rivers above and below the barrage sites with snow trout.

The loss of private agricultural and forest land has been or will be mitigated by the acquisition of private land at an above-market rate. The social impact of the projects will be mitigated by NTPC’s resettlement and rehabilitation procedures, with fair compensation being paid by NTPC.

External sources

• Save the Ganga! (1/11)- Ganga Aahwaan Ganga Bachao Tripathagamini Video 4:55