Loharinag Pala Hydro Power Project
Encyclopedia
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 ongad River], next to NH 108
in Uttarkashi District of Uttaranchal state, India
. This is about 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) upstream of the 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
River Ganges. Tarun Bharat Sangh, headed by Magsaysay award-winner, Rajendra Singh
also played a pivotal role in stopping the project. The project was officially scrapped in 2010.
The Loharinag-Pala project was one of several hundred dams and barrages
planned or now being constructed by India, 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.
project had been envisaged for installation of 4 generating Units of 150 MW utilizing a hydraulic head of 476.5 metres (1,563.3 ft) to have a maximum capacity of 600 MW. The facilities would include 4 vertical shaft Pelton wheel 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 expected date for commissioning of the project was in the year 2010. Duration of the project activity is 21 years.
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 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 has been cleared by Nodal Officer.
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 sent by DM, Uttarkashi to GoUA.now with discontinuation of the project by orders of India govt. the land acqusition is not being done.
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 sent to GoUA by DM, Uttarkashi but now not required as project has been discontinued by India government.
The project site starts from confluence of the Songad river on the Bhagirathi River in the
Garhwal Himalaya
to 18 KM down stream at Thirang gad confluence with Bhagirathi river. The barrage site is next to NH 108 at Loharinag Temple. The Project has a mountainous catchment area
of 3316 square kilometres (1,280.3 sq mi), of which 1849 square kilometres (713.9 sq mi) (56%) is covered in snow or glacier. The source of the Bhagirathi is about 82 km (51 mi) above the barrage.
For construction of approach road to Gunaga Adit (4000 m long )Private, Forest and Govt land was needed. The LOA No. was LOA-32 dated 20-12-04 and Deposit Work 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 width Required was 10m.
For construction of approach road to Helgu Adit (6000 m long) private, forest and Govt land was needed. The LOA No. LOA-53 was dated 07-04-05. Deposit Work, Agency 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 10 m .This road could not be completed due to geotechnical reason and alignment was require change but due to suspension of work forest land needed was not transfed. The formation width was 10 m.
For construction of approach road to surge shaft, a 6810 m long Bhukki -Kujjan road was to be constructed . LOA No. was LOA-09 dated 29-03-04. The Deposit Work 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 width was 10 m . Private Land/forest land was acquired to start the work.
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.
In August 2010, the Group of Ministers discontinued the project.
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.
Also the Owner of the project is not been fair on their contractual part as of not clearing the situation of uncertainty prevailing from so long duration to their contractors causing high stakes and risks at contractors end.
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
generating project planned by the National Thermal Power Corporation
National Thermal Power Corporation
NTPC Limited is the largest Indian state-owned energy service provider based in New Delhi, India. It is listed in Forbes Global 2000 for 2010 ranked it 341st in the world...
(NTPC) Ltd to have an output capacity of 600 MW (150 MW x 4 Units). The project is located on the river Bhagirathi
Bhagirathi River
The Bhāgīrathī is a turbulent Himalayan river in the state of Uttarakhand, India, that is the source stream of the Ganges—the major river of the Gangetic plain of Northern India and the holy river of Hinduism.-Etymology:...
, the headstream of the Ganges River
Ganges River
The Ganges or Ganga, , is a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. By discharge it...
at Loharinag Pala, below the confluence of the ongad River], next to NH 108
National Highway 108 (India)
National Highway 108 connects Dharasu and Gangotri Dham in Uttarakhand. The highway is long and runs only in Uttarakhand.-See also:* List of National Highways in India * List of National Highways in India...
in Uttarkashi District of Uttaranchal state, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. This is about 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) upstream of the Tehri Dam
Tehri dam
The Tehri Dam is a multi-purpose rock and earth-fill embankment dam on the Bhagirathi River near Tehri in Uttarakhand, India. It is the primary dam of the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd. and the Tehri hydroelectric complex...
.
The main project construction contracts were awarded and construction started in 2006, however, work was stopped in 2009 after Professor G. D. Agrawal
G. D. Agrawal
Dr. G. D. Agrawal is a respected doyen of environmental engineers in India. After a long career, he continues to teach and inspire students as an Honorary Professor of Environmental Sciences at the Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, in Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh...
, 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
Sacred
Holiness, or sanctity, is in general the state of being holy or sacred...
River Ganges. Tarun Bharat Sangh, headed by Magsaysay award-winner, Rajendra Singh
Rajendra Singh
Rajendra Singh is a well known water conservationist from Alwar district, Rajasthan in India. Also known as "waterman of India", he won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for community leadership in 2001 for his pioneering work in community-based efforts in water harvesting and water management. He runs...
also played a pivotal role in stopping the project. The project was officially scrapped in 2010.
The Loharinag-Pala project was one of several hundred dams and barrages
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
planned or now being constructed by India, in the southern foothills of the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. 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 HydroelectricityHydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
project had been envisaged for installation of 4 generating Units of 150 MW utilizing a hydraulic head of 476.5 metres (1,563.3 ft) to have a maximum capacity of 600 MW. The facilities would include 4 vertical shaft Pelton wheel turbines. The generators would be of synchronous vertical shaft type. The generators
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
would have capacity at a lagging power factor
Power factor
The power factor of an AC electric power system is defined as the ratio of the real power flowing to the load over the apparent power in the circuit, and is a dimensionless number between 0 and 1 . Real power is the capacity of the circuit for performing work in a particular time...
of 0.90, 3 phase, 250 rpm, and rated voltage of 11 to 18 KV. The generator transformer
Transformer
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
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
Carbon offset
A carbon offset is a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for or to offset an emission made elsewhere....
in tonnes CO2
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
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
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
– 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 expected date for commissioning of the project was in the year 2010. Duration of the project activity is 21 years.
Project land
For 16.455 ha of private land, The District Magistrate (DM), Uttarkashi was instructed by The Government of Uttaranchal state (GoUA) to issue award in line to land acquisition (LA) Act. The Village Development Advisory Committee (VDAC) meeting was held on 08-05-2006 at Uttarkashi. f Award by the Special Land Acquisition Officer (SLAO) had been declared.For Reserve forest
Reserve forest
You may be looking for forest reserve, a generic term associated with protected forest areas, which is also used as a specific term for protected forests in some countries...
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 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 has been cleared by Nodal Officer.
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 sent by DM, Uttarkashi to GoUA.now with discontinuation of the project by orders of India govt. the land acqusition is not being done.
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 sent to GoUA by DM, Uttarkashi but now not required as project has been discontinued by India government.
The project site starts from confluence of the Songad river on the Bhagirathi River in the
Garhwal Himalaya
Shivling (Garhwal Himalaya)
Shivling is a mountain in the Gangotri Group of peaks in the western Garhwal Himalaya, near the snout of the Gangotri Glacier. It lies in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, south of the Hindu holy site of Gaumukh . Its name refers to its status as a sacred symbol of the God - Lord Shiva's...
to 18 KM down stream at Thirang gad confluence with Bhagirathi river. The barrage site is next to NH 108 at Loharinag Temple. The Project has a mountainous catchment area
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of 3316 square kilometres (1,280.3 sq mi), of which 1849 square kilometres (713.9 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 Adit (750 m long ) Private, Forest and Govt land was needed. The LOA No. was LOA-54 dated 07-04-05 and the Deposit Work Agency was PWD, UA. Completion Period was 6 months. 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 width required was 10 m .For construction of approach road to Gunaga Adit (4000 m long )Private, Forest and Govt land was needed. The LOA No. was LOA-32 dated 20-12-04 and Deposit Work 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 width Required was 10m.
For construction of approach road to Helgu Adit (6000 m long) private, forest and Govt land was needed. The LOA No. LOA-53 was dated 07-04-05. Deposit Work, Agency 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 10 m .This road could not be completed due to geotechnical reason and alignment was require change but due to suspension of work forest land needed was not transfed. The formation width was 10 m.
For construction of approach road to surge shaft, a 6810 m long Bhukki -Kujjan road was to be constructed . LOA No. was LOA-09 dated 29-03-04. The Deposit Work 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 width was 10 m . Private Land/forest land was acquired to 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.Old Schedule
Commissioning dates scheduled were: UNIT #1 February ’2011, UNIT #2 March ’2011, UNIT #3 April ’2011 and UNIT #4 - May ’2011. At present the schedule has slipped to end the project somewhere in second quarter of 2013Update
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
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur is a Central deemed University located in Uttar Pradesh, about 15 km north-west of the city of Kanpur in the Kalyanpur suburb....
, 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".
In August 2010, the Group of Ministers discontinued the project.
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
Environmental impact statement
An environmental impact statement , under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment". An EIS is a tool for decision making...
(EIS) prepared by the NTPC indicates the main adverse environmental impacts of the project will be changes in river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
hydrology
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
, a decline in the quality of aquatic ecosystems, loss of agricultural and forest land, and resettlement
Resettlement
Resettlement:*can refer to voluntary or involuntary human migration*can be a euphemism for forced migration*can be a euphemism for population transfer...
. 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
Schizothorax richardsonii
Schizothorax richardsonii or Common Snowtrout is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Schizothorax....
.
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.
Also the Owner of the project is not been fair on their contractual part as of not clearing the situation of uncertainty prevailing from so long duration to their contractors causing high stakes and risks at contractors end.