Power Secretary Alok Kumar has inaugurated the newly constructed Central Robotic Hard Coating Facility and O&M workshop at SJVN’s Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station in Himachal Pradesh. Kumar visited India’s largest underground 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station (NJHPS) in Himachal Pradesh, a company statement said.
SJVN CMD Nand Lal Sharma accompanied Kumar during the visit.
NJHPS is India’s largest underground hydropower station in operation since 2003-04.
During his visit, Kumar inaugurated the newly constructed Central Robotic Hard Coating Facility and O&M (operation and maintenance) workshop at NJHPS, Jhakri, the statement said.
Sharma apprised Kumar that NJHPS has been exceeding annual generation targets by efficiently tackling the issue of heavy silt that is part of river Sutlej.
Earlier, NJHPS established a High-Velocity Oxy-Fuel Hard Coating facility at its project site to protect the critical underwater parts of the power station.
Previously, there were separate facilities for the repair of individual parts.
Subsequently, the SJVN management felt the need for setting up a common hub for the repair and refurbishment of the parts in one place.
Accordingly, a new Central Robotic Hard Coating Facility and O&M workshop have been established.
With this facility, large parts of the power station would be repaired and transported easily thus expediting the reclamation process of these parts, thereby shortening the maintenance time, it stated.
Sharma further informed that NJHPS is the first hydropower station in the country to have a such facility of its own.
Kumar also visited SJVN’s 412 MW Rampur Hydro Power Station, 210 MW Luhri Hydro Electric Project (Stage-1) and 382 MW Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project in Himachal Pradesh.
He inaugurated the 66/22 kV Substation at Koyal and commenced the concreting works at the powerhouse, main dam and flood protection wall of the Luhri-1 hydro project.
Sharma informed that the river has been successfully diverted in June 2022 and excavation for Coffer Dams & Flood Protection Wall has already been completed.
The excavation works of Tail Race Channel, Stripping & Slope Stabilization works above the Dam & Power House on the right bank are nearing completion, the statement said.
SJVN is operating two power stations of 1,912 MW capacity and executing four projects having a cumulative generation capacity of 1,624 MW in the Satluj basin.
Total project portfolio of SJVN stands at 46,879 MW and is marching towards becoming a 50,000 MW company by 2040.
