NHPC Teesta stage V project to be commissioned by March 08

Gangtok, Oct 27 (UNI) One of the most ambitious projects in recent times, the 510 MW NHPC Teesta stage V Hydro Electric Project located at Balutar, East Sikkim is set to be fully commissioned by March 2008.

NHPC sources told UNI that work was in the final stages and the first unit, which would generate 170 MW electricity, would be commissioned in January. The other two units with a capacity of 170 MW each would be commissioned in February and March 2008 respectively. ''Once the first unit is commissioned, work for the other two units will be just a formality,'' the sources said.

They said the dam construction at Dikchu dam site was complete.

The dam is 95 metre high spanning a length of 70 metre and is a concrete gravity dam.

Work at the 17.6 km long head race tunnel was 95 per cent over while the 5-storey high power house built inside a hill at Balutar was almost complete, they added. The underground power house was the first in northeast and third in the country.

Electrical and mechanical work for the project was 85 per cent complete, they further informed.

Laying of power grid lines by the Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCI) for transmission of hydel power generated by Teesta V project was also in the final stage. Electricity generated by the project will be distributed to the nation by the Eastern Grid of PGCI.

Once the project is commissioned, Sikkim will be entitled to 12 per cent free power annually with an estimated annual revenue generation of Rs.80-85 crores.

The project is being built with an approximate cost of Rs 2300 crores and for which construction work began in February 2001.

UNI