The Karcham Wangtoo Hydroelectric Plant is a
run-of-the-river
Run-of-river hydroelectricity (ROR) or run-of-the-river hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric generation plant whereby little or no water storage is provided. Run-of-the-river power plants may have no water storage at all or a limited amou ...
hydroelectric power station
A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electrical grid.
Many ...
on the
Sutlej River in
Kinnaur district
Kinnaur is one of the twelve administrative districts of the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. The district is divided into three administrative areas (Kalpa, Nichar (Bhabanagar), and Pooh) and has six tehsils. The administrative h ...
of
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...
state of
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
.
[
]
Etymology
The dam and power station are located between the villages of Karcham and Wangtoo where the plant also gains its name.[
]
History
In 1993, and after years of delays, the Jaypee Karcham Hydro Corporation Limited of Jaypee Group signed a memorandum of understanding to develop the dam. On 18 November 2005, the construction on the power station began.
Technical details
The tall dam at Karcham () diverts a substantial portion of the Sutlej into a diameter and long headrace tunnel to the underground power station downstream at Wangtoo. At the station, the water powers four 250 MW Francis turbine-generators before it is sent back into the Sutlej via a long tailrace tunnel. The difference in elevation between the dam and the power station affords a gross hydraulic head of . Water not diverted by the dam is sent over the spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of water downstream from a dam or levee, typically into the riverbed of the dammed river itself. In the United Kingdom, they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways ensure th ...
and down the normal course of the river. The main spillway is along the crest of the dam and is controlled by six radial gate
The Tainter gate is a type of radial arm floodgate used in dams and canal locks to control water flow. It is named for Wisconsin structural engineer Jeremiah Burnham Tainter.
A side view of a Tainter gate resembles a slice of pie with the c ...
s.[
]
Transport
In 2020, construction of a new nearly 150 km long ''"Karcham-Harsil Road"'' was announced. It will link Karcham on NH-5 to Harsil
Harsil, the Himalayan paradise, is a village, tourist hill station and army area located on the banks of the Bhagirathi River, on the way to Gangotri, a Hindu pilgrimage site in Uttarkashi district of the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
Situated ...
on NH-34, both in Himachal Pradesh. This new road, to be constructed by Border Roads Organisation
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is a road construction executive force in India that provides support to and is now a part of the Indian Armed Forces. BRO develops and maintains road networks in India's border areas and friendly neighboring ...
(BRO) at a cost between Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 crore, is in addition to the 73 previously approved India-China Border Roads (ICBR). It will cut down present 450 km long distance, which take nearly 16 hours, to just nearly 150 km or 2 to 3 hours. Since Karcham and Harsial are 26 km and 52 km away from the Line of Actual Control
The Line of Actual Control (LAC), in the context of the Sino-Indian border dispute, is a notional demarcation lineAnanth KrishnanLine of Actual Control , India-China: the line of actual contest, 13 June 2020: "In contrast, the alignment of ...
(LAC) respectively, the new road will also enable the faster deployment of troop.[Modi govt’s infra push along China border — 2 new roads, alternate route to Daulat Beg Oldie]
The Print, 15 September 2020.
See also
* Nathpa Jhakri Dam – situated downstream
* Indus Water Treaty
The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan, arranged and negotiated by the World Bank, to use the water available in the Indus River and its tributaries. It was signed in Karachi on 19 September 1960 b ...
- includes Sutlej river
References
{{Sutlej dams
Dams completed in 2011
Energy infrastructure completed in 2011
Dams in Himachal Pradesh
Dams on the Sutlej River
Run-of-the-river power stations
Gravity dams
Buildings and structures in Kinnaur district
2011 establishments in Himachal Pradesh