Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Himachal’s 126 MW Larji Hydropower project fully restored and operational again
Kullu (Himachal Pradesh), May 18, 2025: In a major infrastructure achievement, the Larji Hydropower Project in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh has been fully restored and made operational less than two years after it was severely damaged by devastating floods in the Beas River on July 9 and 10, 2023.
Thanks to the resolute efforts of the state government, led by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the revival of the 126 MW project was completed swiftly, preventing long-term economic losses.
Initially, ₹25 crore was sanctioned for the restoration work, followed by additional approvals of ₹35 crore and then ₹185.87 crore.
The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) engineers and staff were commended by the Chief Minister for their dedication and tireless efforts in restoring the plant. Due to their hard work:
- Unit-1 of the Larji Power Project was restarted on January 15, 2024, and synchronized with the power grid by May 2, 2024.
- Unit-2 was brought online on August 9, 2024,
- Unit-3 became operational on January 17, 2025.
Currently, all three turbines are fully functional and power generation has resumed.The floods had deposited significant debris inside the turbine units, rendering them non-operational for months.
Since mechanical removal of the silt was not feasible, it had to be cleared manually by the workforce. Several preventive measures have now been put in place to protect the project from future natural disasters.
These include:
- Installation of cable netting and rock-fall barriers for slope stabilization
- Completion of work near the surge shaft gate
- Ongoing construction at the powerhouse entrance to mitigate landslide and debris risk
- Installation of a robust gate at the main tunnel entrance to prevent water inflow during extreme floods
- Similar work is underway at the emergency exit tunnel, ensuring both safety and waterproofing
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Historically, the Larji project also faced a major flood on August 3, 1953, when 3838.37 cumecs of water flowed through the Beas. However, the 2023 flood was far more severe, recording a flow of 5600 cumecs, significantly surpassing the 1953 level.
The successful revival of the Larji Hydropower Project is not only a technical milestone but also a testament to government resolve and engineering excellence in the face of natural calamity.