Shimla, Nov 4, 2020
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has (CCEA) approved the investment of Rs.1810.56 crores for 210 MW Luhri Stage-1 Hydro Electric Project (LHEP-1) of Satluj Jal Vidhut Nigam being developed on river Satluj in Shimla & Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh.
NL Sharma CMD of SJVN apprised that LHEP-1 is being developed on river Satluj near Nirath village along NH-05 in Distt Shimla & Kullu, Himachal Pradesh on  Build-Own-Operate-Maintain (BOOM) basis.
This  Project is a run-of-the river scheme with pondage for peaking for 3.40 hrs. A Concrete Gravity Dam, 80-meter-high 225-meter long & 8-meter-wide, would be  constructed, which would create a reservoir of about 6 (Six) Kilometers.Â
For enabling the  construction of the Dam, the flow of the river will be diverted through a 567-meter long Horse Shoe shaped Diversion Tunnel of 10-meter diameter.
The discharge of 644 cumecs would be utilized through four intakes which after traversing via four penstocks having 90-meter length would enter the turbines.
The Project, a Dam Toe Power House having two main units of 80 MW & two auxiliary units of 25 MW each is planned on the right bank of river Satluj. The project would generate 758 Million Units of energy annually.
The construction activities of the project would result in employment generation for around 2000 persons
and socio-economic development of the State. Further, Himachal Pradesh will be benefitted with free Power of around Rs. 1050 crores during Project Life Cycle of 40 years.
The Project Affected Families will be provided with free 100 units of electricity per
month for ten (10) years. Besides one per cent additional Local Area Development Fund (about Rs. 3.08)
Crores per annum, the execution of the project will lead to development of roads & bridges, healthcare services and other local infrastructures.
The project on completion, would reduce 6.1 lakh Tons of carbon dioxide from environment annually.
The power generated from the project will help in grid balancing and will also improve the power supply
position. SJVN stands committed in contributing to growth of the nation by providing clean & green power. Sharma informed that the LHEP was initially envisaged as a single stage project and the MoU with Government of Himachal as signed on Oct 27, 2008.Â
In March 2015, state government advised SJVN to review and explore the possibility of executing LHEP as multi-stage project.Â
Accordingly, the project was redesigned in three stages that is 210 MW LHEP Stage-1  and 172 MW LHEP- Stage-II & 382 MW Sunni Dam HEP, and all  three projects were reallocated to SJVN on Aug 29, 2017.
He assured that SJVN has always achieved its targets and is fully committed to complete this project within stipulated time frame of 62 months.
This includes budgetary support of Rs 66.19 Crores from Govt of India for enabling infrastructure which has helped in reducing power tariff.
