On Tuesday, a severe landslide struck the 510MW Teesta-V Power Station of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) in Sikkim, causing significant damage to key infrastructure. NHPC confirmed that the landslide affected the Tail Race Tunnel (TRT) gate hoist structure and a portion of the Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) building. Fortunately, there have been no casualties, as the power station was evacuated in advance due to ongoing landslide risks in the area.

The power station, which has been non-operational since October 2023, is currently undergoing restoration work following a flash flood triggered by a glacial lake outburst in the Teesta River basin. The flood, caused by a cloudburst in the region, affected the Teesta Stage 3 dam of Sikkim Urja Ltd. in Chungthang, Sikkim’s largest hydropower project. The deluge severely impacted areas in North Sikkim’s Mangan district.

An expert team has been dispatched to the site to assess the damage and plan necessary remedial actions. This incident is the latest in a series of challenges faced by NHPC, following the natural disaster that previously affected both the Teesta-V power station and the Teesta-VI Hydroelectric Project (500MW) in the region.

Teesta-V is part of a cascade of hydropower projects along the Teesta River designed to supply power to Sikkim’s Energy & Power Department and other state-owned distribution companies in India’s eastern region.

by waterpowermagazine