Hydro plant hit by deadliest flood in Himachal restored

Shimla, May 18 The 126 MW Larji Hydroelectric Power Project in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, which saw one of the deadliest floods in seven decades, has become operational with an outlay of nearly Rs 250 crore, the government said on Sunday.

The facility suffered extensive damage due to flooding in the Beas River on July 9, 2023. The project’s swift revival, completed in less than two years, has been possible through the timely intervention and support of the state government, helping avert major financial losses.

The government allocated Rs 25 crore initially for its restoration, followed by Rs 35 crore and Rs 185.87 crore for the complete rehabilitation of the project.

The Chief Minister commended the engineers and staff of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Ltd (HPSEBL) for their tireless efforts and commitment to restoring the project.

Unit I of the Larji Power Project was restarted on January 15, 2024, and synchronised with the power grid on May 2. Unit II followed on August 9, 2024, and Unit III was restored on January 17, 2025. With all three turbines now operational, the project has fully resumed power generation. The flood had caused heavy deposition of mud deep inside the turbine units, rendering them inoperable for several months.

Since mechanical removal was not feasible, the debris was painstakingly cleared by manual effort. To safeguard the project from future natural calamities, several preventive measures have been implemented.

The government said slope stabilisation work, including the installation of cable nets and rockfall barriers, has been completed near the surge shaft gates and is underway at the powerhouse entrance to mitigate risks from landslides and falling debris.

Additionally, a hinged gate has been installed at the Main Access Tunnel to prevent water ingress during high floods. A similar gate is being constructed at the emergency exit tunnel, with supporting civil works to ensure a secure, watertight system.

In the year 1953, a significant flood occurred at the Larji Hydro Electric Project, and that was a historical high flood. This flood, recorded on August 3, 1953, had a discharge of 3,838.37 cumecs, whereas the flood that occurred in 2023, with a discharge of 5,600 cumecs, significantly exceeded the 1953 flood.

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