These include Rampur HEP (412 MW), Luhri HEP (775 MW) on river Satluj in H.P., Dhaulasidh (40 MW) also in H.P.; Devasari HEP (252 MW), Naitwar Mori HEP (59 MW), Jakhol Sankri HEP (45 MW) in Uttaranchal, and Tipaimukh (1500 MW) as a joint venture in Manipur; Wangchhu (900 MW) & Kolongchhu (486 MW) in Bhutan & Arun-III (402 MW ) in Nepal. On being allotted the prestigious Arun-III project by Nepal, SJVN became the first CPSU to bag a hydropower project outside India on Open Competition Basis (ICB). Projects are also shortly due for allocation in Bhutan.

NJHPS

The Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station-NJHPS (1500 MW), the largest underground run-of-the-river hydro project in the country and abroad was the first project undertaken by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd for execution and has since been commissioned, during the 10th Plan, progressively between September 2003 to May 2004 and the same is now providing valuable 1500 MW of peaking power to the Northern grid. To understand the immensity of NJHPS (250MW×6 units), it could be said to be tantamount to four big run-of-the-river hydroprojects of India working together at one site.

Project Benefits

Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd is a corporation dedicated to ethical practices and social responsibility, using its business venture to open up the landlocked hinterland to economic and social hope and aspiration, helping agricultural and industrial productivity, providing gainful employment to local workers, skilled and unskilled, allowing them essential facilities such as schools and hospitals. It generates valuable 1500 MW peaking power, the design energy being about 6612 MU considering the silt vagaries which hydro plants are subject to. The State of Himachal Pradesh benefits tremendously getting 34% additional power in lieu of being a home state and its partnership stake.

Environment and R&R Policy

Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd has adopted a benign Environment Resettlement & Rehabilitation policy, which reiterates the company's commitment to sustainable development, which is well within the carrying capacity of the eco-system and which also promotes improvement of the Quality of life. The World Bank has highly commended SJVN for its R&R and development works undertaken in the vicinity of Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station. SJVN has been constantly winning awards at the National level for Exemplary Performance, Corporate Leadership, Outstanding Contribution to Betterment of Society, Environment Management etc. In February 2008, SJVN was awarded the prestigious Golden Peacock Award - 2007 for Eco-Innovation and environmental management activities of NJHPS.

Achievements

SJVN has consistently been rated as either Very Good or Excellent in the MOUs signed with MOP, GOI (right since the commissioning of NJHPS in 2003-04). Thus, within four years of being commissioned (a landmark in India), SJVN has been upgraded both as a Mini Ratna Category I company on 12.05.08 and as a Schedule 'A' company on 30.05.2008, for which all the preparatory work was done in 2007-08 only, and the achievements of 2007-08 contributed in this direction.

SJVN has consistently been increasing its profits through increasing its operational efficiencies. NJHPS's Capacity Index is one of the best in the hydro industry. Within five years of being fully commissioned (on May 18, 2004), the net profit increased to more than Rs 1000 crore, which is quite an achievement in the power sector.

It is expected that NJHPS would be generating nearly 7000 MU in 2009-10. Capacity Index, which is a true reflection of a hydro company's efficiency was 96.671% in 2008-09, 96.671% in 2007-08, 92.366% in 2006-07 and 61.681% in 2005-06.

It is noteworthy that there is a huge power demand-supply gap in India. The market expects SJVN to harness the hydro-potential of the Himalayan region and cater to their needs (which is an opportunity for SJVN to expand) and SJVN has always endeavored to meet their expectations. NJHPS, being the single largest contributor to the Northern Grid, the market also expects that NJHPS should have minimal downtime and sustain the Grid frequency. Thus, SJVN has compressed the maintenance cycle of the Units in the winter months from 70 days to 20 days in 2008-09 for two concurrent Units. This is being further compressed.

However since the commencement of generation, NJHPS has been facing the problem of high silt contents in the river Satluj in comparison to the designed capacity during monsoon seasons leading to closure of the plant for the day/ part of the day. High intake of silt through the turbines resulted into extensive damages to the underwater parts of the machines. During the inspection of turbines, it was observed that parts coated with plasma nitride had also suffered damages but HVOF (High Velocity Oxy-Fuel) coated guide-vanes were found to be in better condition. The turbine underwater parts in NJHPS got heavily eroded due to silt. HVOF coating of Tungsten Carbide was tried on some of the under water parts i.e. guide vanes, cheek plates, labyrinth seats and wear rings etc. It has proved to be successful to the extent that these parts can withstand silt load upto 8-9 lac tones now, instead of 3-3.5 lac tones when uncoated. Further, in the year 2007-08, NJHPS dam height was increased so as to give full peaking power of 1500 MW for 3 hours against the earlier peaking of 800 MW for 3 hours. On account of this, there was an enhancement in the 'Still pond' conditions in the reservoir resulting in better settling of the silt particles in the reservoir itself

The Silt erosion problem was thus innovatively tackled, and the technology and measures introduced were a landmark in the hydro sector. All other hydro companies in India are now introducing the hard coating methodology for enhancing the effective life of their silt-prone turbine components which SJVN had pioneered, leading to generation saving of more than 1500 MU power every year.

For the hard coating, a coating workshop having six-axis robots and closed-loop computerized powder feeding systems, and a 40 ton turn-table have been installed at the Project site in 2007-08 which is a critical success factor for SJVN. No other hydro utility in India has this workshop. Besides, Indigenous Vendor Development has also been done in this area.

Totally eco-friendly. For a gigantic project like NJHPS, only 107 landless families were displaced (who were all relocated and rehabilitated), and the complete project is underground save for the dam and the pothead yard. A total quality approach was followed for their construction leading to minimal costs which can be well seen from the fact that in spite of two major calamities, the cost/MW was only Rs 5.4 crore/mw. No environmental degradation was allowed and all the muck is systematically being reclaimed.

SJVN's achievements and strengths can be gleaned from the fact that for the first time, an Indian CPSU bagged an International Project (402 MW) Arun III in Nepal on BOOT basis, during the year 2007-08. It is located about 300 km from Biratnagar.

SJVN has bagged several awards at the National level which speak of its Excellence in the fields of Quality, Environment, CSR, Safety, Leadership, Promotion of Official Languages etc. On Dec 17, 2009, it received the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award - Best of All, from the Government.