Alstom completes 233.6MW hydro project in India

Alstom has completed the commissioning of the 233.6MW Chamera III hydro project situated on the river Ravi in the district of Chamba, Himachal Pradesh.

The 233.6MW Chamera III hydro project comprising of three Alstom units each with a power generating capacity of 77MW is a run-of-the-river scheme producing 1108.17 million units annually during a 90% dependable year.

Alstom successfully spun and recorded the three Francis vertical turbines with a speed rate of 333 rotations per minute.

The company was contracted by the National Hydroelectric Power (NHPC) for the synchronisation of the hydro project units with the national grid.

Alstom Hydro India Unit managing director Alain Spohr said the company has worked very closely with the customer and successfully completed the Chamera III project.

"Hydroelectric power is essential to achieve the ambitious goal of the Indian government to expand the "Twelth Plan" to 90000 MW," Spohr added.

The company designed, manufactured and supplied the turbines, generator, main inlet valve, governing, control & protection systems from its Vadodara facility located in the state of Gujarat and the facility also designed the electrical and mechanical balance of the plant.

NHPC has started the commercial operations of the plant and the electricity produced will be provided in to the country’s northern grid to address the growing power demand in the states.

The project is expected to improve water supply too to the inhabitants living around the project area.