Home / Business and Economy / NHPC Revives Salal Dam: Tackling Silt for Power
NHPC Revives Salal Dam: Tackling Silt for Power
23 Feb
Summary
- Salal Dam's capacity reduced to 14 million cubic meters from 284 million.
- De-silting efforts aim to boost water storage and power generation.
- Core drilling underway to assess silt compactness.
NHPC is undertaking a significant operation to clear accumulated silt from the Salal Dam in Jammu and Kashmir. This vital project aims to restore the dam's efficiency, enhance water storage, and boost power generation. Over time, sedimentation has drastically reduced the reservoir's capacity from 284 million cubic meters to a mere 14 million cubic meters.
The 690 MW Salal hydropower project, situated on the Chenab River in the Reasi district, faces challenges due to sediment buildup, which not only diminishes storage but also damages power plant turbines. NHPC is exploring various sediment management strategies, including flushing, dredging, and under-sluice installation.
Core drilling has commenced to determine the silt's condition, whether compact or loose. Dredging is already in progress, though finding a market for the removed silt presents a challenge. The company is also tendering for an under-sluice structure, designed to remove accumulated sediment. The dam and its power plants were originally constructed in phases during 1987 and 1994.
