DW BUREAU / SHIMLA

The 126 MW Larji Hydroelectric Power Project in Kullu district has been fully restored and is operational once again, which suffered extensive damage by the devastating Beas River floods on 9th and 10th July 2023. The project's swift revival, completed in less than two years, was made possible through the timely intervention and strong support of the State Government, helping avert major financial losses. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the State Government allocated Rs. 25 crore initially for restoration, followed by Rs. 35 crore and subsequently Rs. 185.87 crore for the complete rehabilitation of the project. The Chief Minister commended the engineers and staff of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) for their tireless efforts and commitment to restore the project.

Thanks to their dedication, Unit I of the Larji Power Project was restarted on 15 January 2024 and synchronized with the power grid on 2 May 2024. Unit II followed on 9 August 2024 and Unit III was restored on 17 January 2025. With all three turbines now operational, the project has fully resumed power generation.

The flood had caused heavy deposition of muck deep inside the turbine units, rendering them inoperable for several months. Since mechanical removal was not feasible, the debris was painstakingly cleared by manual effort. To safeguard the project from future natural calamities, several preventive measures have been implemented. Slope stabilization work, including the installation of cable nets and rockfall barriers, has been completed near the surge shaft gates and is underway at the powerhouse entrance to mitigate risks from landslides and falling debris.

Additionally, a Hinged Gate has been installed at the Main Access Tunnel (MAT) to prevent water ingress during high floods. A similar gate is being constructed at the Emergency Exit Tunnel (EET), with supporting civil works to ensure a secure, watertight system. In the year 1953, a significant flood occurred at the Larji Hydro Electric Project on the Beas River, which was a historical high flood. This flood, recorded on August 3, 1953, had a discharge of 3838.37 cumecs, whereas the flood occurred in the year 2023, with a discharge of 5600 cumecs, significantly exceeded the 1953 flood.

(editor@dailyworld.in)