Shimla: Operations resume in Nathpa Jhakri dam, Rampur project

Electricity production work has been resumed on Nathpa Jhakri dam and Rampur Project after being shut for a day on Sunday due to high levels of silt in river Satluj. The two are part of the country's biggest underground hydroelectric projects. "Along with the 1500 MW capacity Nathpa Jhakri dam in Kinnaur district, operations in the 412 MW Rampur Project have resumed as silt level in the river has reduced," Sanjeev Sood, Project Head, Nathpa Jhakri hydroelectric power plant said. He said the services resumed last night at 9.30 pm.

Owing to heavy rains in the region, the machines for electricity production were shut down on Sunday morning as silt level increased exponentially in the river. The amount of silt in Sutlej had crossed 8,000 parts per million (ppm) in the Nathpa Jhakri dam.

"The silt content in the Sutlej river system which constitutes of its tributaries has gone up by a huge margin. The situation is especially grave in the Bhaba Khad river," Sood had informed earlier.