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Doyang

Doyang is a rockfill dam on the Doyang River, a tributary of Brahmaputra, 30 km from Wokha in Nagaland. The catchment area at the dam is 2,606 km². The height of the dam is 92 m and the reservoir has a live storage capacity of 535 MCM at FRL 333.00 m. With mean annual inflow of 1,355 MCM, Doyang power house has 3 units of 25 MW each and has a firm power of 21 MW. NEEPCO commissioned the project in 2001.

Kopili

This project consists of Umrong dam on Umrong River, a tributary of Brahmaputra River. The power house is located at a distance of 70 km from Lanka in Assam. The catchment area at the dam is 1,318 km². The height of the dam is 30 m. The reservoir has a live storage capacity of 55.5 MCM at FRL 609 m and the MDDL is at 592.83 m. Kopili power house has 4 units of 50 MW each, with mean annual inflow of 2,860 MCM. NEEPCO commissioned the project during 1988-97 which has a firm power of 55 MW.

Khandong

This dam on Khandong River, a tributary of Brahmaputra, is located at a distance of 70 km from Lanka in Assam. The height of the dam is 66 m and its catchment area is 1,256 km². The reservoir has a live storage capacity of 129.5 MCM at FRL 719.3 m; the MDDL is at 704 m. Khandong power house has 2 units of 25 MW each, with mean annual inflow of 2,860 MCM and provides firm power of 13 MW. NEEPCO commissioned the project in 1984.

Loktak

Loktak Hydroelectric station involves a barrage, namely Ithai barrage, near Loktak Lake, 39 km from Imphal in Manipur. The catchment area at the barrage is 1,000 km². The height and length of the barrage are 11 m and 59 m respectively. The pond has a live storage capacity of 397 MCM at maximum water level 768.5 m and the minimum water level is at 766.2 m. Loktak power house has 3 units of 35 MW each, with mean annual inflow of 679 MCM. It has a firm power of 42 MW. NHPC commissioned the project in 1983.

Rammam II

This hydroelectric station uses water from Rammam and Lodhama weirs constructed on Rammam River and its tributary Lodhama Khola; these are the tributaries of Teesta River. The power house is located at a distance of 77 km from Darjeeling, West Bengal. The intercepted catchment area is 209 km². Four units of 12.75 MW each have been installed with a firm power of 14 MW. West Bengal State electricity Board commissioned the project in 1995-96.

Ranganadi

A concrete gravity dam has been constructed on Ranganadi River, a tributary of Brahmaputra River, 50 km from Zir City in Arunachal Pradesh. The catchment area at the dam is 1,894 km². The height of the dam is 68 m and the reservoir has a live storage capacity of 21.28 MCM at FRL 567 m; its MDDL is at 560 m. Doyang power house has 3 units of 135 MW each, with maximum and minimum annual inflow of 5,080 and 2,048 MCM respectively. It has a firm power of 166 MW. NEEPCO commissioned the project in 2002.

Rangit III

Rangit III hydroelectric station was constructed in the year 2000 by NHPC on Greater Rangit River, a tributary of Teesta River. The dam is located at a distance of 130 km from Siliguri in South Sikkim District. The catchment area at the dam is 979 km² and the dam is 47 m high. The reservoir has a live storage capacity of 1.175 MCM at FRL 639 m and the MDDL is at 627 m. The power house has 3 units of 20 MW each, with mean annual inflow of 0.696 MCM. It has a firm power of 39 MW.

Teesta Canal Power House I, II, III

Three power houses have been constructed on Teesta canal, namely Teesta PH I, II, and III. Teesta canal emerges from Mahananda barrage, which has been constructed on Teesta River, a tributary of Brahmaputra River in Siliguri, West Bengal. The Power houses have been constructed on the canal at 5 km, 21 km and 31 km from barrage, near Siliguri town in Jalpaiguri District, West Bengal. The catchment area at the Mahananda barrage is 675 km². The design flood of Mahanada barrage is 2,265 m³/s. All the three power houses have 3 units of 7.5 MW each. WBSEB commissioned the project in 1997-99.

Teesta Low Dam Stage – III Hydroelectric Project

It is being constructed on Teesta River in Darjeeling distt. (W.B). It is located near New Jalpaiguri.  The project will have 32.5 m high barrage and the power plant will have installed capacity of 4 x 33 MW or 132 MW to annually generate 594 MU in a 90% dependable year. This project is estimated to cost Rs.770 crore. Work is in progress and is anticipated to be completed by March 2008.

Teesta Low Dam Stage - IV Hydroelectric Project

This project is under construction near Siliguri town in Dist. Darjeeling, West Bengal. Here, a 45 m high concrete gravity dam will be constructed. The catchment area for the project is 8,021 sq. km. With FRL of 182.25 m and MDDL of 179.00 m, the reservoir has a gross storage of 36.63 MCM and live storage of 7.91 MCM. For power generation, the underground power house will have Kalpan Turbines, 4x40 MW each which will work at gross head of 25.8 m. Its annual generation is likely to be 720 MU (90% dependable year). Work is expected to be complete by September 2009 at a cost of Rs.1,061 crore.

Umiam III

This is the third in the series of projects with Umiam I of 36 MW and Umiam II of 18 MW capacity. Umiam III hydroelectric project consists of Kyrdemkulai concrete gravity dam on Umiam & Umtru Rivers, tributaries of Brahmaputra. The power house is located at a distance of 52 km from Shillong in District Ri Bhoi of Meghalaya. The catchment area at the dam is 520 km² and its height is 27.5 m. The reservoir has a live storage capacity of 2.78 MCM at FRL 681.23 m and the MDDL is at 675.58 m. Umiam III power house has 2 units of 30 MW each. It has a firm power of 16 MW. Meghalaya State Electricity Board commissioned the project in 1979.

Umiam IV (Nongkhylle)

Umiam IV hydroelectric project consists of Nongkhylle dam across Umtru River. The power house is located at a distance of 55 km from Shillong in District Ri Bhoi of Meghalaya. The catchment area at the dam is 150 km². The height of the dam is 43 m. The reservoir has a live storage capacity of 4.94 MCM at FRL 503 m and the MDDL is at 496 m. Umiam IV power house has 2 units of 30 MW each, with mean annual inflow of 52 MCM. It has a firm power of 15 MW. Meghalaya State Electricity Board commissioned the project in 1992.

PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION/INVESTIGATION

Many hydropower schemes are under investigation in the north-east region of India. There are immense possibilities of cooperation with neighbouring countries for hydropower generation. India and Bhutan have agreed to build a 1,020 MW hydroelectric project on the Wangchu River in Bhutan. Surplus power from the Rs. 14bn (US$ 400M) project will be sold to India, which will finance 60% of the cost through a grant and the balance through a loan. The dam will be handed over to the Bhutan Government two years after completion.               

Projects under construction in NE region.

Source: CEA, NEEPCO

Pagladiya Dam

This is a multipurpose project whose construction work is likely to be initiated soon and is scheduled for completion in 2008. The project which has been cleared by the Technical Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India, involves construction of an earthen dam of 26m height over Pagladiya River, a tributary of Brahmaputra, in Nalbari District of Assam. The dam will intercept an area of 570 sq. km. The Pagladiya River has been responsible for recurrent floods in the north bank of the Brahmaputra. Benefits from Pagladiya dam include flood moderation in 40,000 ha area, irrigation benefits to 54,000 ha, and incidental power generation by a plant of 3 MW capacity. The project cost has been estimated at Rs. 541 crore.

Siang (Dihing) Multipurpose Dam Project

Originally, the Siang Dam project proposal envisaged a multipurpose dam with 20,000 MW installed capacity to generate hydropower. Now, the proposal has been split in three dams: (i) a rockfill dam of 257 m height near Pugging village on the Siang River with installed capacity of 11,000 MW, (ii) a 154 m high rockfill dam near Raying village, 15 km upstream of Kaying on Siyom River with installed capacity of 750 MW, and (iii) another 45 m high rockfill dam upstream of Pasighat near Rotung village with installed capacity of 1,500 MW. These three smaller dams have been planned to avoid submergence of important towns. Investigations for the dams are in progress.

Siyom Project

This proposed project will be located near Village Raying (near Along) in West Siang District of Arunachal Pradesh. A 188m high, concrete face rockfill dam is proposed. Underground power house with 1,000 MW capacity (4 x 250 MW) will be constructed and annual generation will be 3640.95 MU in a 90% dependable year. The DPR for the project has been completed.

Subansiri Multipurpose Dam Project

Similar to Siang, the original Subansiri project proposal envisaging a large dam in Arunachal Pradesh with 4,800 MW installed capacity has been recently modified. Now the proposal is to construct three smaller rockfill dams: (i) a 265 m high dam on Subansiri river near Menga village, upstream of Daporijo with installed Capacity of 2,500 MW, (ii) a dam of same height (265 m) on Kamla River near Tamen with installed capacity of 2,000 MW, and (iii) a dam of 110 m height on Subansiri River near Gerukamukh having installed capacity of 1,500 MW. In addition to hydropower, these dams are expected to give irrigation benefit to an area of 25,000 ha. Besides, these will also help in flood moderation, navigation, pisciculture, and recreation. Detailed surveys and investigations for the projects are under way.

The Lower Subansiri Hydropower Project is under construction in lower Subansiri/ Dhemaji Distt. (Arunachal Pradesh & Assam) near Nagaon at an estimated cost of Rs.6,285 crore. A concrete gravity dam, 116 m in height is envisaged. The proposed generation capacity is 2,000 MW (8x250 MW) and expected annual generation is 7,422 MU in 90% dependable year. The project is expected to be completed by 2010.

Teesta Stage – V Hydroelectric Project (under construction) in East Sikkim District in Sikkim. A 96.45 m high concrete gravity dam with underground power house containing 3 units of 170 MW each (total 510 MW) is being constructed. It annual generation will be 2,573 MU (90% dependable year). Work is scheduled for completion by 2007 at an estimated cost of Rs. 2,198 crore.

A private company has won the contract to construct the 360 MW Teesta VI Hydropower Project. This project is the last scheme of six stages of cascade development on the Teesta River. The investment by the Government of Sikkim in the project will be in the form of equity to the extent of 26 %.