PM inaugurates, lays foundation stone of 658 MW hydro electric projects of SJVN

New Delhi: At a ceremony held on Monday in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation stones of 210 MW Luhri Stage-1 Hydro Electric Project located in Shimla and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh and 66 MW Dhaulasidh Hydro Electric Project situated in Hamirpur & Kangra districts of Himachal Pradesh. Modi also presided over the ground-breaking ceremony of the 382 MW Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project located in Shimla and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh.

These projects are being implemented by SJVN Limited on a build-own-operate-maintain (BOOM) basis. Luhri-1 Hydro Electric Project and Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project are on River Satluj and Dhaulasidh Hydro Electric Project is on River Beas. The event was attended by Governor of Himachal Pradesh Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Jai Ram Thakur, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports Anurag Thakur.

SJVN Limited's Chairman & Managing Director Nand Lal Sharma stated that in November 2020, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister, had approved the 210-MW Luhri-1 Hydro Electric Project at a cost of Rs 1,810 crore. The project is scheduled to be commissioned by January 2026. On completion, it would generate 758.20 million units (MU) of electricity annually. The project has also been accorded budgetary support of Rs 66 crore.

Sharma informed that the salient features of the Luhri-1 Project, involve the construction of an 80-metre-high concrete gravity storage dam. Two main penstocks and two auxiliary penstocks from the dam would operate two turbines of 80 MW each and two of 25 MW each, respectively. The surface powerhouse would be at the toe of the dam. Contributing to the preservation of the environment, this project would lead to a reduction in the emission of 6.1 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide annually from the environment. He added that the Luhri -1 Project shall generate 20 lakh man-days' job opportunities, while the state of Himachal Pradesh would immensely benefit with free power worth around Rs 1,140 crore during the project life cycle of 40 years.

Sharma said that the government had approved the cost of Rs 687.97 crore for the 66 MW Dhaulasidh Hydro Electric Project and had also accorded budgetary support of Rs 21.6 crore for the project. The project is targeted for completion in November 2025. On completion, this project will add 304 MU of energy annually.

Sharma stated that the salient features of Dhaulasidh project entailed the construction of a 70-meter high Concrete Gravity Storage Dam which would feed Two Turbines of 33 MW each respectively. The project would have a Toe Dam Surface Power House, and on completion, would lead to the reduction of 2.4 lakh tons of carbon dioxide from the environment annually. He added that this project would result in the creation of 8 lakh man-days' employment opportunities, while Himachal Pradesh would benefit with free power worth Rs 461 crore from the project.

Sharma further briefed that the project cost for the 382 MW Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project has been estimated at Rs 2,614.51 crore, which on completion is expected to generate 1,382 MU of electricity annually. The project would help in the reduction of 11 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide from the environment annually and Himachal Pradesh would benefit with around Rs 2,587 crore worth of free power.

Sharma stated that the construction of these three projects involve a total outlay of Rs 5,113 crore and would add over 2,444 MU of electricity generation to the nation's capacity annually. Besides providing 100 units of free electricity per month for 10 years to the project-affected families, these projects on completion would usher in an era of overall socio-economic development and prosperity in the region for generations to come, said Sharma.

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