Major Hydropower Projects of India

The hydropower industry in India contributes significantly to the nation's portfolio of renewable energy sources. India makes use of its plentiful water resources to produce clean and sustainable electricity through large-scale projects like the Nathpa Hydropower Dam, the Koyna Hydroelectric Project, and the Tehri Hydroelectric Power Plant. These initiatives, spread across several states, increase India's ability to generate electricity and assist the country meet its rising energy needs while reducing its dependency on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

Features of Major Hydropower Projects of India

Here are the descriptions of major hydropower projects of India −

Nathpa Hydropower Dam

The 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri hydropower Project was a run-of-the-river type facility that was proposed to utilize the hydropower potential of the upper reaches of the Satluj River in the Himachal Pradesh districts of Kinnaur and Shimla. The project's design discharge was 405 cumecs, which was directed through a 60.5-meter-high concrete gravity dam, four intakes, four subterranean desilting chambers, a head race tunnel (HRT), and a surge shaft with a diameter of 21 meters and a depth of 225 meters.

Koyna Hydroelectric Project

After the Tehri Dam Project, the Koyna Hydroelectric Project is the largest hydroelectric power facility in India. The Koyna Hydroelectric Project is a complicated undertaking that includes four dams, including the largest dam on the Koyna River in Maharashtra. The Satara district is where the project is located. 1,960 MW is the project's overall capacity. The electricity generation process for the project has four steps. All of the generators are housed in subterranean powerhouses that were dug out of the Western Ghats mountains. The electricity is also generated by a dam foot powerhouse. The Koyna River is regarded as Maharashtra's lifeline due to the project's potential for producing electricity.

Tehri Hydro Electric power plant

A 1,000MW hydropower project is the Tehri Dam & Hydro Power Plant. It is situated in Uttarakhand, India, on the Bhagirathi River or basin. The initiative is ongoing, according to GlobalData, which records and assesses more than 170,000 power plants globally. It has undergone a single period of development. Construction on the project began in 1978, and it began operating for profit in 2006. The project was created by THDC India, and NTPC currently holds a 74.49% interest.

Teesta Low Dam - III Hydropower Plant

A run-of-the-river hydroelectric facility was constructed on the Teesta River called the Teesta Low Dam - III Hydropower Plant. The Dam is situated in West Bengal's Kalimpong district at Rambi Bazar. It is situated a little above Rambi Bazar in Reang, West Bengal's Kalimpong district. The project includes a 32 m high dam with four penstocks that are each 44 m long and 7 m in diameter. 4 units with a combined capacity of 33 MW are housed in the surface powerhouse, which has a 132 MW installed capacity.

Balimela Hydroelectric Power Plant

The Machkund Project is the first stage of the development of the Machkund-Sileru River; stage two is the Balimela Power Project. An Earth-cum-Rock fill at Chitrakonda known as Balimela Dam impounds the water produced from Machkund Power House and the inflow from intermediate catchment between Machkund and Balimela Dam. The governments of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh collaborated to build the Balimela Dam. The Sileru River, a tributary of the Godavari River, flows through the Malkangiri district of Odisha, India, where the Balimela Reservoir is situated. The Balimela reservoir has a 3610 million cubic meters of total storage space.

Machkund Hydro Electric Power Plant

The Machkund Hydroelectric Project is situated in the Koraput district of Odisha, at the Machkund Dam. The first power project unit was put into service in 1959, and the power plant's total installed capacity is 120 MWe. The hydroelectric project's operational status is "power plant." The power house's construction was finished in 1959, and it quickly began to run. The Machkund River and the Godavari Basin serve as the plant's water sources for the power it produces. Dam is the sort of structure used in power plants. The East Flowing Rivers are the plant's hydroelectric basin, and the project is located in the country's eastern hydroelectric region. a joint venture, and the power plant is owned by the State Governments of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

Kalinadi Hydroelectric Power Plant

In 1979, the 810-Megawatt Kalinadi Nagjhari Hydroelectric Power Plant was put into service. Given that it is more than 25 MW, the project is classified as a major one. The power plant is finished and running as intended. Water is obtained from the Kalinadi River. The River Basin is formed by the west-flowing rivers from Tapi to Tadri. The Southern Hydroelectric Region is where the power project is situated. The State Government is the Kalinadi Nagjhari Hydroelectric Power Plant's owner, and Karnataka Power Corporation Limited is its operator. Karnataka and other nearby states are the power plant's beneficial states. The power project was finished in 1984.

Srisailam Hydroelectric Power Plant

The Srisailam Dam, the second-largest operational hydroelectric station in India, is built across the Krishna River in the Andhra Pradesh districts of Nandyal and Nagarkurnool, close to the Srisailam temple town. Between the districts of Nandyal and Nagarkurnool, in the Nallamala Hills, a deep gorge was chosen for the construction of the dam. At the project's full reservoir level of 885 feet (270 meters), or MSL, it has an estimated live capacity of 178.74 Tmcft. It has a gross storage volume of 6.116 cubic kilometres.

Teesta Hydroelectric Power Plant

The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) subsidiary Lanco Teesta Hydro Power (LTHPL) is building the 500MW Teesta-VI run-of-river hydroelectric power project in Sikkim, India. Six hydroelectric power projects are being built on the Teesta River, including the Teesta-VI project. It is situated in southern Sikkim, close to the community of Subin Khore. The project is anticipated to give Sikkim with 12% free power as royalty for the first 15 years, increasing to 15% after that. The project's remaining power output will be classified as saleable energy. In March 2024, the power plant is anticipated to be put into operation.

Bairasiul Power Station

An 180MW hydropower project Baira Siul, is situated in Himachal Pradesh, India, on the rivers and basins of the Ravi, Baira, Siul, and Bhaledh. The project is still under progress. Its development has gone through several stages. The project was put into operation in 1980 once construction was finished. It can hold 3.75 million cubic meters of water.

Bhira Hydroelectric Project

In Bhira, Maharashtra state, India, there is a complex for producing energy called the Bhira Hydroelectric Project. It uses water from the adjacent Mulshi Dam to produce electricity. About 150 kilometres separate Bhira from Mumbai. Its building was finished in 1927. A 150 MW pumped storage generator installed in 1997 along with six 25 MW Pelton turbines provide the plant a notional 300 MW maximum output capacity.

Bansagar hydroelectric Power Plant

The Banasagar Hydroelectric Power Plant is situated in the Indian district of Banasagar, Madhya Pradesh. The power station is put into service in 1991 with a 425 MW authorized capacity. Since the project's capacity exceeds 25 MW, it is a major project. Power plant is currently operating. Sone River is the water source used to produce electricity. The Ganga Basin is the hydroelectric basin. Located in India's Western Hydroelectric Region is the Banasagar power facility. The Madhya Pradesh government owns the power plant, and Madhya Pradesh Power Generation Company Limited is in charge of running it. Madhya Pradesh and other nearby states are the power plant's beneficiaries. In 1968, the electricity project is finished.

List of Major Hydropower Projects of India

Here is a table of major hydroelectric power plants in India, their locations, and installed capacities −

Hydroelectric Power Plant	Location	Installed Capacity (MW)
Nathpa Hydropower Dam	Himachal Pradesh	1500
Koyna Hydroelectric Project	Maharashtra	1960
Tehri Hydro Electric Power Plant	Uttarakhand	1000
Teesta Low Dam - III Hydropower Plant	West Bengal	132
Balimela Hydroelectric Power Plant	Odisha	510
Machkund Hydro Electric Power Plant	Odisha	120
Kalinadi Hydroelectric Power Plant	Karnataka	139
Srisailam Hydroelectric Power Plant	Andhra Pradesh	1670
Teesta Hydroelectric Power Plant	Sikkim	1325
Bairasiul Power Station	Himachal Pradesh	60
Bhira Hydroelectric Project	Maharashtra	300
Bansagar Hydroelectric Power Plant	Madhya Pradesh	425

Conclusion

India has a sizable number of big hydropower projects that add to its ability to generate electricity. These initiatives, which span from 60 MW to 1960 MW in installed capacities, are spread across several states in the nation. Some of the famous ones are the Koyna Hydroelectric Project in Maharashtra, the Tehri Hydroelectric Power Plant in Uttarakhand, and the Nathpa Hydropower Dam in Himachal Pradesh. These initiatives utilize river power and are essential to India's renewable energy industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the largest hydropower project in India?

The Koyna Hydroelectric Project in Maharashtra is the largest hydropower project in India with an installed capacity of 1960 MW.

Where is the Nathpa Hydropower Dam located?

The Nathpa Hydropower Dam is located in Himachal Pradesh.

What is the installed capacity of the Srisailam Hydroelectric Power Plant?

The Srisailam Hydroelectric Power Plant in Andhra Pradesh has an installed capacity of 1670 MW.

Which state is home to the Teesta Hydroelectric Power Plant?

The Teesta Hydroelectric Power Plant is located in Sikkim.

What is the installed capacity of the Machkund Hydro Electric Power Plant?

The Machkund Hydro Electric Power Plant in Odisha has an installed capacity of 120 MW.