With the commissioning of the last of the six units of 68 MW hydro generating unit of Rampur Hydro Electric Project (HEP) in Himachal Pradesh, Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) has commissioned the 412 MW hydro power plant of SJVN Limited. The 412 MW Rampur HEP powerhouse comprising 6 units of 68.67 MW each is located on River Satluj, a major tributary of the Indus Basin in Himachal Pradesh - 120 km from Shimla.

The project is designed to utilise the water that comes out after generation from Nathpa Jhakri Power Plant and is diverted from Jhakri Tail Race Pond to the intake of Rampur HEP through a tunnel. The power stations at Jhakri and Rampur are designed to be operated in tandem. The project does not require construction of a dam, reservoir capacity or additional land inundation.

The present project is a green field project and the plant will be capable of generating approximately 1,770 GWh in a ninety percent hydrological dependable year when all the units are operating. The commissioning of Rampur HEP will result in reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and will help in achieving a low carbon development path for the state and the nation.

BHEL's scope of work in the project includes supply, erection and commissioning of 6 numbers Francis turbines operating at a head of 119 meters with matching synchronous generators of 200 rpm, static excitation system, main inlet valves, penstock valves, digital governors, state-of-the-art control & monitoring system (SCADA), associated turbine, generator and station auxiliaries, Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) and electrical & mechanical Balance of Plant (BoP).

BHEL has a long standing association with SJVN commencing with their first generating plant-1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri HEP, which was commissioned in 2003-04.

Notably, nine hydro sets totalling to 641 MW were commissioned by BHEL in the year 2013-14. Fiscal 2014-15 is also progressing on a promising note for hydro projects, with commissioning of a 130 MW set at Parbati III in May, 2014 and two 68.67 MW Units of Rampur in June and July 2014, now followed by another 68.67 MW unit. BHEL is presently executing Hydro power projects of around 5,000 MW which are under various stages of implementation.

Significantly, so far, more than 500 hydro generating sets of various ratings have been contracted on BHEL in India and abroad, with a cumulative capacity of more than 26,000 MW, out of which, equipment for about 5,000 MW generating capacity has been contracted outside India. In 2013-14, BHEL had secured orders for 206 MW Shahpur Kandi HEP in Punjab, 120 MW Vyasi HEP in Uttarakhand and 444 MW Vishnugad Pipalkoti also in Uttarakhand, against stiff international competition.

Shares of the company declined Rs 4.8, or 1.72%, to trade at Rs 273.50. The total volume of shares traded was 212,279 at the BSE (12.22 p.m., Thursday).