Bhel commissions 4 units of 200 mw each at Koldam HEP

In yet another feather to its cap public sector behemoth Bhel has commissioned all the four units of NTPC’s 4x200 Mw Koldam Hydro Electric Project (HEP) in Himachal Pradesh in a record period of time. The thermal power company has entered hydro sector with the commissioning of the units, officials said on Monday.

“All the four units of the project have been commissioned by BHEL within a short span of just 75 days, commencing with the commissioning of the first unit on March 30,” an official said. Located at the embankment on River Sutlej in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, the surface power house is the first hydro project of NTPC.

“With the commissioning of these units by Bhel, NTPC has made its maiden entry in the hydro sector,” another official said. The power house comprises four Francis Turbines of 200 Mw rating each, operating under a head of 131.2 metres. Besides supply and installation of these Francis Turbines, Bhel’s scope included supply and installation of matching synchronous Generators, Static Excitation System, Main Inlet Valves, Digital Governors, state-of-the-art Control & Monitoring System (SCADA), associated station auxiliaries and Electrical & Mechanical Balance of Plant (BoP) equipment.

“Bhel has a long standing association with NTPC.  In the field of hydro projects, Bhel has the distinction of executing all the four hydro projects of NTPC,” an official said. Apart from Koldam, the other three hydro projects of NTPC being executed by Bhel are Tapovan Vishnugad HEP (4x130 Mw), Lata Tapovan HEP (3x57 Mw) and Rammam Stage-III HEP (3x40 Mw). Koldam HEP is capable of generating approximately 3,054 GWH annually (90% dependable year). “The generation from Koldam HEP will result in reduction of the green-house gas emissions and will help in achieving a low carbon development path for the state as well as the nation. The project has been designed as a run-of-the-river scheme,” he said.