The devastation of floods in Uttarakhand has affected the hydro power sector severely. Of the total installed capacity of hydro power projects in the state nearly 35 per cent of the state generation capacity has been affected.
As floods on June 17 wiped villages, it also cause severe damage to six hydro power plants of which four were operational and two were under construction and about to be commissioned.
Jaypee Power Ventures, a part of the Jaypee group’s 400 MW power plant on the Alakhnanda river near Vishnu Prayag district is now shut because of huge amount of siltation in the barrage that carries water to the plant’s turbine.
“We cannot say how soon we will be able to re-start the plant, the bigger challenge to clear the siltation first. The plant was generating nearly 300 MW of electricity out of its installed capacity of 400 MW). Our turbines have not been damaged because siltation prevented logs and big rocks getting inside and damaging turbine blades. We are yet to ascertain the extent of loss, we are yet to reach the plant,” Jaypee Group spokesperson said.