Uttarakhand disaster: JPVL closes Vishnuprayag hydropower project as a precaution

JPVL has a 400-megawatt Vishnuprayag Hydro Electric Project with its barrage over the Alaknanda river, and the project's tail race tunnel discharging water in river Dhauli Ganga. The river water gushed in through the tail race tunnel of the project bringing with it the slush.

Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd (JPVL) has said it has closed its Vishnuprayag Hydro Electric Project (VHEP) as a precaution in view of flash foods in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

The company also said JPVL is providing full assistance and assurance to the district authorities in relief operations and will continue to provide all humanitarian aid

In a statement, the company has stated that it has closed the power plant in view of flash floods on Sunday.

"On February 7 (Sunday), an unusual event took place in the river basin of Dhauli Ganga in District Chamoli (Uttarakhand) between 9.30 am and 11 am.

"Unfortunately, a glacier plunged into the Raine village of the district Chamoli, causing river to rise rapidly, leading to swollen river level for some time which caused damage to life, property and projects falling in direct contact of flow of the river," the company said in the statement.

JPVL has a 400-megawatt Vishnuprayag Hydro Electric Project with its barrage over the Alaknanda river, and the project's tail race tunnel discharging water in river Dhauli Ganga, it stated.

The company explained that "sudden development of the 'Force Majeure' event led to the closure of the power generation."

The river water gushed in through the tail race tunnel of the project bringing with it the slush.

"We are analysing all aspects and assessing the time to bring back the project to its pre-closure status (operations were stopped at 11 am on February 7 due to this tragic glacier event).

"We remain confident that VHEP will resume operations after completing the cleaning and checking all aspects in a few days," it added.

The company also said JPVL is providing full assistance and assurance to the district authorities in relief operations and will continue to provide all humanitarian aid.