Uttarakhand ready to construct 120 Mw Vyasi hydroelectric project

After constructing the 304-Mw Maneri Bhali-II in 2008, the state-run Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVN) is gearing up to build a 120-Mw Vyasi following its techno-economic clearance from the Central Electricity Authority [CEA].

With all the clearances, UJVN is now hoping to resume the remaining 60-70 per cent of the project work which is hanging fire for the past two decades due to paucity of funds. The project which began three-four decades ago, was abandoned in 1990s due to paucity of funds in the undivided Uttar Pradesh.

The next step of UJVN is to pay liabilities of the contractors and call tenders. “We will be shortly going for a tendering process for building the remaining portion of the project and would pay for the liabilities of the contractors,” said a top government official.

UJVN is hoping to complete the Vyasi project in four-five years.

Top officials of the UJVN told Business Standard that the total investment in the Vyasi project would be around Rs 1,000 crore since 30 to 35 per cent of the work had been completed earlier. The cost of construction of the Vyasi project would now be around Rs nine crore per Mw which is being seen as not very high vis-a-vis high inflation during the past few years.

In the Maneri Bhali-II project, UJVN had spent Rs 2,300 crore with the cost of the project coming around Rs 7.5 crore. The Maneri Bhali-II project which began in 2002 was completed in 2008.

“As compared to Rs 7.5 crore few years ago, the cost of construction of a hydel project has not increased much,” said B C K Mishra, UJVN’s director [operation]. However, he said the cost of hydel projects is area specific.

In 2009, UJVN paid Rs 74 crore to the National Hydro Power Corporation [NHPC} as part of the liabilities after taking over the 420-Mw Lakhwar-Vyasi project. Thereafter, UJVN bifurcated the project in two parts –- 120-Mw Vyasi and 300-Mw Lakhwar.

After commissioning the state’s first big project – 304-Mw Maneri Bhali-II in 2008, UJVN suffered a big setback last year when its two major projects-- 480-Mw Pala Maneri and 381-Mw Bhaironghati were scrapped by the Centre on environmental and religious grounds.

Since then, UJVN is left with no big project. “Let’s hope that UJVN will complete this project in time,” said the official.