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Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power station

Nathpa Jhakri Hydroelectric Station of 1500 MW capacity is the country’s largest hydropower plant. The run of the river project is located on River Sutlej, a major tributary on the Indus basin, in Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh in North India. Plant is designed to generate 6612 million units of electricity each year but quality management at the plant has enabled generation to exceed yearly targets.

A Memorandum of Understanding for execution of the Nathpa Jhakri project was signed between Government of India and Government of Himachal Pradesh in July, 1991. Project has been financed on a 50:50 debt equity ratio basis. Project had the backing of World Bank. The project was completed at a cost of Rs. 8187 Crore.

Project commissioned in May, 2004 and dedicated to the nation by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Sh. Manmohan Singh on May 28, 2005.

Power allocation from plant to the Northern states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the cities of Delhi and Chandigarh has enabled the grid to overcome power shortages in the region.

Besides the social and economic upliftment of the people in its vicinity, the 1500 MW NJHEP has been designed to generate 6950.88 MU of electrical energy in a 90% dependable year with 95 % machine availability. It is also providing 1500 MW of valuable peaking power to the Northern Grid.

Out of the total energy generated at the bus bar, 12 percent is supplied free of cost to the home state i.e. Himachal Pradesh. From the remaining 88% energy generation, 25% is supplied to HP at bus bar rates. Balance power has been allocated to different states / UTs of Northern Region by Ministry of Power, Government of India, as detailed ahead

Sl. No.StateAllocation (In MW)Percentage to the installed capacity
 TOTAL1500100
1.Haryana644.27
2.Himachal Pradesh *54736.47
3.Jammu & Kashmir1057.00
4.Punjab1147.60
5.Rajasthan1127.47
6.Uttar Pradesh22114.73
7.Uttaranchal382.53
8.Chandigarh080.53
9.Delhi1429.47
10.Unallocated quota at the disposal of the Central Govt. **1499.93

Besides above, indirect benefits has also accrued to the region by way of increase in agriculture and indus­trial production. In addition, the project has provided gainful employment to a large number of skilled and unskilled workers and has also opened the landlocked hinterland by providing essential facilities such as schools, hospitals etc. for the people of the area. Thus, NJHEP has ushered in the social and economic up-liftment of the persons living in the vicinity of the Project i.e. of society at large.

S.No.DescriptionDate
1.Approval of CEA for an installed capacity of 1020 MW at an estimated cost of Rs.538.38 crores Project to be executed by HPSEBFeb, 1980
2.Environment ClearanceJune, 1980
3.Techno-economic clearance obtained from CEA for installed capacity of 1500 MW at an estimated cost of Rs.1649.17 crores at December, 1985 price levelMay, 1986
4.Forest ClearanceJuly, 1986
5PIB ApprovalJan, 1988
6.Formation of SJVNMay, 1988
7.CCEA approval for installed capacity of 1500 MW March, 1989 at an estimated cost of Rs.1678.02 coresMarch, 1989
8.Approval of GOI for execution of NJHPP (6X250 MW) at an estimated cost of Rs.1678.02 crores at September, 1988 price level by SJVNApril, 1989
9.Approval of GOI obtained for receiving the World Bank Assistance of US$ 437 millionApril, 1989
10.Signing of the World Bank Loan AgreementMay, 1989
11.Effectiveness of the World Bank LoanJan, 1990
12.Agreement between the Union Minister of State for Power and NES, GOI and the Chief Minister, GOHP SignedJuly, 1991
13.Officially take over of NJHPP by SJVNAug, 1991
14.Effective take over of NJHPP delayed due to agitation By HPSEBFeb., 1992
15.Approval by PIB for RCE-IApril, 1993
16.Approval by CCEA for RCE-IJune, 1993
17.Major Civil Works Contracts awardedJune, 1993
18.Award of Contract for Generating Unit and Associated EquipmentsNov, 1994
19.Submission of Revised Detailed Project Report incorporating Revised Cost Estimate of Rs.7179.64 crores and Revised Commissioning Schedule of all six units by March, 2002 to CEA.May, 1997
20.Approval of Revised Cost Estimates of Rs.7217.05 crores and Revised Commissioning Schedule of all the units of NJHPP by March, 2002 by CEANov, 1997
21.Submission of application for re-categorization and extension of IBRD Loan closing date to the World BankDec,1997
22.Re-categorization and extension of the IBRD Loan upto Dec.31, 1998 by the World BankDec, 1997
23.Pre-PIB Memo for RCE-II submitted to MOPJun, 1998
24.Pre-PIB Meeting heldJul, 1998
25.PIB Clearance for RCE-II of Rs 7666.31 croresNov, 1998
26.CCEA Clearance for RCE-II of Rs 7666.31 croresMay, 1999
27.Submission of RDPR - Nov.,2001 incorporating RCE-III of Rs.9083.34 crores at Sept.,2001 price level to MOP/CEA/Planning CommissionDec, 2001
28.CEA clearance for hard cost (Excluding Claims and Interest During Construction etc.) of RCE-III of Rs.6218.29 croresDec, 2002
29.Submission of Pre-PIB Memorandum incorporating RCE-III of Rs.8656.61* crores at Sept.,2002 Price Level to MOP for approval. (* The reimbursement of cost for providing Inter Connection Facility (ICF) at Jhakri Switch Yard to M/s JHPL for Baspa Satge-II HE Project has been finalised by Central Electricity Authority (CEA) at Rs. 62.86 crores and has been ratified by the Board of Directors of SJVN, which is to be deducted from the Capital Cost of the Project and about Rs.50 crores for extension of cut and cover/Tunnel of Silt Flushing Tunnel is to be added)April, 2003
30.Ponding of Dam, Charging of Intake, Desilting Chamber no.4 and 27.4 km long HRT and first run of Unit No.5Aug 28, 2003
31.Synchronisation of Unit No.5Sept 20, 2003
32.Commissioning (Commercial generation) of Unit No.5Oct 06, 2003
33.Inauguration of first Unit of the Project (Unit # 5)Oct 14, 2003
34.Synchronisation of Unit No. 6Nov 23, 2003
35.Commissioning (Commercial generation) of Unit No. 6Jan 02, 2004
36.Synchronisation (Test Loaded) of Unit No. 4Jan 22, 2004
37.Synchronisation (Test Loaded) of Unit No. 3Feb 13, 2004
38.Synchronisation (Test Loaded) of Unit No. 2Mar 09, 2004
39.Signing of MOU for the year 2004-05 between MOP, Govt. of India and SJVN Ltd.Mar 29, 2004
40.Commissioning (Commercial generation) of Unit No.4Mar 30, 2004
41.Synchronisation (Test Loaded) of Unit No. 1Mar 31, 2004
42.Commissioning (Commercial generation) of Unit No. 3Mar 31, 2004
43.Commissioning (Commercial Generation) of Unit No. 2May 06, 2004
44.Commissioning (Commercial Generation) of Unit No. 1May 18, 2004
45.SJVN gets ISO 9001:2000 CertificationFeb 02, 2005
46.Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Sh. Manmohan Singh dedicated the project to the nation.
 
May 28, 2005
 

A 62.50 m. high Concrete Gravity dam on River Satluj River at Nathpa to divert 486 cumecs of water through four intakes.

A large underground de-silting complex, comprising four chambers, each 525 m. long, 16.31 m. wide and 27.5 m. deep. 

A 27.394 Km long head race tunnel of 10.15 diameter terminating into the surge shaft.

A 301 meter deep and 21.60 diameter surge shaft with an opening to the sky.  

Circular steel lined 3 pressure shafts of 4.90 diameter each, bifurcating into two near the power house to feed 6 generating units. 

An underground power house that have 6 vertical axis Francis turbines of 250 MW each installed to utilize a design head of 426 meters. 

A tail race tunnel of 982 meter length with 10.15 meter diameter.