Hydropower Projects in Bhagirathi Basin 

Originating from the Gangotri glacier at Gaumukh, Bhagirathi flows past the Gangotri town and downstream of it, it is joined by Jadh Ganga. Two HP projects, namely Karmoli (140 MW) and Jadh Ganga (50 MW) are under development on this tributary. Bharon Ghati project (38 MW) is located some distance downstream of junction of Bhagirathi and Jadh Ganga. Further downstream, three small tributaries join the Bhagirathi River and one project each, namely Kakora Gad (12.5 MW), Jalandhari Gad (24 MW) and Siyangad (11.5 MW) are under development. 

Downstream of the confluence of Bhagirathi with Siyan Gad is the Loharinag Pala (600 MW) RoR project. Currently, the work on this project is under suspension. A small stream namely, Limcha gad joints from left and a small RoR project of 4 MW capacity with same name is under development on this river. Flowing further downstream is the site of Pala Maneri, a RoR project with 480 MW installed capacity. 

Further down, two more small streams Suwari gad and Pilangad join Bhagirathi. On Pilan Gad, a project by the name Pilangad (4 MW) is operational and Pilangad-II (4 MW) is under development. Maneri Bhali I HP, which is a RoR of 90 MW capacity is located some distance upstream of the confluence of Bhagirathi and Asiganga. 

In the Asiganga sub-basin, four RoR projects, namely Kaldigad (9 MW), Asiganga-1 (4.5 MW), Asiganga-II (4.5 MW) and Asiganga-III (9 MW) are under development. The town of Uttarkashi is located downstream of confluence of Asiganga and Bhagirathi. Downstream of the confluence is another RoR project Maneri Bhali-II whose installed capacity is 304 MW commissioned in 2008. 

Bhilangana is the biggest tributary of Bhagirathi which joints it close to the erstwhile old Tehri town. A cascade of HEPs are under development on Bhilangana. From upstream to downstream, these are Bhilangana III (24 MW), Bhilangana II A (24 MW), Bhilangana II B (24 MW), and Bhilanga II C (21 MW) and (23 MW, in operation). Agunda Thati (3 MW) is in operation on a tributary of Bhilangana and Jhala Koti (13 MW) and Balganga II are under development. 

Tehri dam is the largest multipurpose project in the study area. Its reservoir has a gross storage capacity of 7400 million m and 2615 million m as live storage. It's power house has four untis of 250 MW each. The project was completed in the year 2006. Downstream of Tehri Dam is the Tehri Stage II project of 1000 MW capacity. 

Another project in the close vicinity downstream is the Koteshwar HP of 400 MW capacity. The reservoir of the Koteshwar project will act as a pump back lake for Tehri pump storage project. Kotli Bhel 1A is the last project on Bhagirathi before its meets Alaknanda at Dev Prayag. 

Installed capacity of 1422 MW has been developed and 3449 MW (13,620 MU) is under development in Bhagirathi Basin as on March 2011. 

Hydropower Projects in Alaknanda River

Alaknanda River originates from Satopanth Glacier. It flows past the holy town of Badrinath and a few km downstream is the commissioned Badrinath  small scale HP of 1.2 MW capacity with discharge from a small tributaory Rishiganga. The first project under development on this river is Alaknanda HP (300 MW). A small tributary by the name Khirao Ganga joins the Alaknanda River in the course of this project and a small HP of 4 MW by the same name is under development on this tributary.

Vishnuprayag project of 400 MW is the first major RoR project commissioned on Alaknanda. A few kilometer downstream of diversion site of this project, Bhyunder Ganga joins Alaknanda. A small project of 24.5 MW capacity is under development in this stream. Further downstream is the first famous Prayag confluence) of Alaknanda and Dhauli Ganga, is known as Vishnuprayag. A number of HP projects are under development on Dhauli Ganga, including Malari Jelam (114 MW), Jelam Tamak (126 MW), Tamak Lata (250 MW), Lata Tapovan (170 MW), Tapovan Vishnugad (520 MW), Jummagad (Commissioned 1.2 MW), Rishiganga (13.2 MW), Rishi Ganga I (70 MW), Rishi Ganga II (35 MW). The town of Joshimath is situated downstream of Vishnu Prayag.  Urgam is a small scale commissioned project of 4 MW on Kalpa Ganga, a tributary of Alaknanda. Vishnugad Pipalkoti project of 444 MW is under development on Alaknanda between the confluence of Kalpa Ganga and Birahi Ganga. Four RoR projects are under development on Birahi Ganga, These are Birahi Ganga I (24 MW), Birahi Ganga II 24 MW), Gohantal (50 MW) and Birahi Ganga (7.2 MW).

Nandakini River joins Alaknanda at Nandprayag, Bowala Nandprayag project of (300 MW) is under development on main Alaknanda, upstream of Nand Prayag. Two projects namely, Vanala (15 MW) and Rajwakti (4 MW) have been commissioned on Nandakini and Dewali (13 MW) is under development. Nandprayag Langasu project  of 100 MW is under development on Alaknanda River downstream of Nand Prayag. 

Pindar is a tributary of Alaknanda which has a high water potential.  Debal project of 5 MW has been commissioned on Kaliganga which is Pindar's tributary. Three projects which are under development in this sub basin are Melkhet (15 MW), Kali Ganga (5 MW), and Devsari (252 MW). 

Mandakini is the last major tributary of Alaknanda which joins it at Rudra Prayag. Originating near the famous Shrine of Kedarnath, Mandakini is joined by tributaries such as Kali Ganga and Madmaheshwar. Projects under development in this sub basin are Kaliganga I & II, Madmaheshwar (15 MW), Rambara (24 MW), Phata Byung (76 MW) and Singoli Bhatwari (99 MW). Kotli Bhel I-B is the last HP on Alaknanda before its confluence with Bhagirathi at Devprayag. Near the town of Srinagar, a project by the same name and with an installed capacity of 330 MW is under construction

Overall, the commissioned hydropower potential of Alaknanda is 429 MW and 3734 MW (15,513 MU) is under development. 

(Source : AHEC, IIT, Roorkee)