Italian-Thai Devt eyes criticality for Indian dam by Oct 2012

Italian-Thai Development has committed to achieve dam readiness for NTPC's 800 MW Koldam hydroelectric project and commencement of reservoir impounding by October 20.

The Koldam HEP is located in district of Bilaspur, at an approximate distance of 25 km from district HQ on river Satluj and 4 km upstream of Dehar power plant.

The civil works contractor encountered a slew of geological constraints at the project site.

A slide on the right bank, compounded by seepage problems in the main dam clay core area, has increased the amount of work required to be put in by ITD on spillway concreting and gallery grouting. In addition to this, a right bank slope failure, along with the subsequent rectification works, has caused further delays at the dam.

With ITD putting in its best efforts to conclude dam activities at the earliest, it is likely that the water, crucial for commissioning of all four units of the power project, will be available by the end of FY 2012-13.

But while the works at the project level are progressing swiftly, those at the inter-ministerial level remain stuck. No concrete decision has been made by the Ministry of Environment and Forests on NTPC's request for withdrawal of mitigation charges or up to 5% of project cost.

The National Board for Wildlife has yet to accord clearance of the Majathal wild life sanctuary area, that comes under the submergence of Kol Dam.

The estimated annual generation of electricity is 3,054 GWh in a 90% dependable year.