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Major Landslide Destroys Teesta Dam’s Power Station
Context:
A severe landslide in Sikkim has devastated the Teesta-V hydropower station, operated by NHPC Limited.
More on News:
- The landslide took place near Dipu Dara close to Singtam in East Sikkim, and was triggered by the collapse of a large section of an adjacent hill.
- This latest disaster has further complicated the restoration of the facility, which had already been defunct following the catastrophic Lhonak Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in October 2023.
- GLOFs are catastrophic events resulting from the sudden release of water from glacial lakes, which are large bodies of water located in front of, on top of, or beneath a melting glacier.
- When a glacier retreats, it creates a depression that collects meltwater and forms a lake.
- The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, has identified 188 glacial lakes in the Himalayan states at risk of breaching due to heavy rainfall, including thirteen in Uttarakhand.
About Teesta-V Hydro Power Station:
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- Location: Teesta River, Gangtok district, Sikkim, India.
- Commissioning Year: 2008
- Installed Capacity: 510 MW
- Type: Run-of-river hydroelectric project.
- Owner: NHPC Limited (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation)
Features:
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- 88.6-metre high, 176.5-metre-long concrete gravity dam.
- Regulating reservoir for daily power peaking.
- 17 km headrace tunnel.
- Three 170 MW Francis turbines.
- Generates an average of 2,573 GWh per year.
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Significance:
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- It provides a significant source of clean energy to the region.
- It contributes to India’s renewable energy goals.
- It supports economic development in Sikkim.
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Teesta River
- The river rises in the Himalayas near Chunthang, Sikkim, India.
- Origin: Tso Lhamo Lake, North Sikkim, at approximately 5280 metres elevation.
- Length: ~414 kilometres.
- The River travels approximately 150 km through Sikkim and 123 km in West Bengal before entering Bangladesh at Mekhligunj in Cooch Behar district.
- It continues for another 140 km in Bangladesh before merging with the Bay of Bengal.
- A tributary of the Brahmaputra River and is Bangladesh’s fourth-largest transboundary river.
- The major tributaries include several key left-bank and right-bank feeders.
- On the left bank, significant tributaries are Lachung Chhu, Chakung Chhu, Dik Chhu, Rani Khola, and Rangpo Chhu.
- On the right bank, important tributaries include Zemu Chhu, Rangyong Chhu, and the Rangit River.
- It flows through Sikkim and West Bengal in India, and Rangpur in Bangladesh.
- In India, the Gajoldobha Barrage and in Bangladesh, the Duani Barrage serve mainly irrigation purposes.
