NHPC’s 510-MW Teesta V plant shut after flash flood in Sikkim

State-owned NHPC Ltd on Thursday said all units of its 510-MW Teesta V power plant have been shut down in the aftermath of the flash flood in the Teesta River in Sikkim. Another 500 MW under-construction project has also been affected, the company said.

The Teesta VI project is being constructed by NHPC’s wholly-owned subsidiary Lanco Teesta Hydro Power Ltd.

“No major damage is seen yet in Teesta VI. The overall damage does not have any impact on our financials,” a company official told ET.


Detailed assessment of losses and damages suffered will be carried out after water level recedes, which may take 4-5 days, the official said.

“The assets and loss of profit of the power station is fully insured under mega insurance policy. All assets and works of Teesta-VI project are also insured under ‘construction all-risk policy’, the company said in an exchange filing.

The Lhonak Lake, which is 90 kms upstream from Teesta-V Dam, has been suspected to have had an outburst resulting in flash floods in the region, another company official said.

Due to sudden increase of inflow, water level rose by 19 meters above the normal level and over-flowed from the top of the dam.

The death toll due to cloudburst and subsequent flash floods in the Teesta River basin has gone up to 14 while 102 others, including 22 army personnel, were missing. Over 2,000 people have been rescued.