The Tehri Dam is a 260.5 meter high rock and earth fill dam located on the Bhagirathi River in Uttarakhand, India. Construction began in 1978 but was delayed by protests and other issues. It provides 1000 MW of power and irrigation to over 2.7 lakh hectares of land. Completion in 2006 after overcoming problems like earthquakes, landslides, and escalated costs. Benefits include power, irrigation, drinking water, and regional development.

1. Jaypee University of Engineering and Technology
Guna (M.P.)
A Project Report On
Tehri Dam
Submitted To: Submitted By:
Mr. Krishna Murari Rachit Khandelwal
Senior Lecturer Er No.-091558
Department Of Civil Engineering Civil (D2)

2. Tehri Dam
Introduction
The Tehri Dam is a multi-purpose rock and earth-fill embankment dam on the Bhagirathi River
near Tehri in Uttarakhand, India. It is the primary dam of the Tehri Hydro Development
Corporation Ltd. and the Tehri hydroelectric complex.
Tehri Dam Project is one of the important storage cum hydro energy generation complex is in the
Himalayan region of the country. After Bhakara it is the biggest water storage dam and may
provide benefits to the water starved areas of Western U.P., Uttaranchal and Delhi. The hydro-energy
may add to the peaking capacity of the Northern Grid and may help in stabilizing it.
History
A preliminary investigation for the Tehri Dam Project was completed in 1961 and its design was
completed in 1972 with a 600 MW capacity power plant based on the study. Construction began
in 1978 after feasibility studies but was delayed due to financial, environmental and social
impacts. In 1986, technical and financial assistance was provided by the USSR but this was
interrupted years later with political instability. India was forced to take control of the project
and at first it was placed under the direction of the Irrigation Department of Uttar Pradesh.
However, in 1988 the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation was formed to manage the dam
and 75% of the funding would be provide by the federal government, 25% by the state. Uttar
Pradesh would finance the entire irrigation portion of the project. In 1990, the project was
reconsidered and the design changed to its current multi-purpose. Construction of the Tehri Dam
was complete in 2006.
Location
Tehri Dam is the primary dam of the Tehri Development Project, a major hydroelectric project
centered near Tehri Town in the state of Uttarakhand in India.It is located on the Bhagirathi
River, the principal tributary of the sacred River Ganga

3. Technical description
1. Earth & Rock Fill Dam :
Type : Rock and Earth Fill Height : 260.5 m
Base : 1128 m Width at top : 25.5 m
Length at the top : 592 m
2. Tehri Reservoir:
Water Spread : 42 SQ KM Gross Storage : 3540 Miliion Cum
Live Storage : 2615 Million Cum
3. Power House:
Power House : Under ground Cavern
Size : 197mx24mx63m
Type of Turbines : Francis
Rated Head : 188 M Speed : 214.3 RPM
Installed Capacity : 4x250MW
Annual Energy : 3568 MUs

4. Time Line for Tehri Dam
1949 Tehri dam conceived
1961 Tehri chosen as a tentative site for the dam
1972 Planning Commission gives its nod to the dam
1978 Actual construction of the dam begins under police protection; Protests gather momentum
1980 Environmental Appraisal Committee appointed by the government, refuses environmental
clearance
1986 Diversion tunnels start operating; Protestors storm the site and stall construction work
1990 Environmental Appraisal Committee, the D R Bhumbla committee, rejects the dam again
1991 Earthquake measuring 6.6 on Richter scale rocks Uttarkashi. Renewed concerns about the
seismic safety of the dam.
1992 Sunderlal Bahuguna goes on a fast unto death. Work on the dam temporarily stopped. Gain
in 1995
1996 Government sets up the V K Gaur committee to look into seismic safety
1997 Hanumantha Rao committee on rehabilitation submits its report. Recommends major
changes in rehabilitation policy
1998 Gaur committee submits its report. Asks for detailed analysis
1999 Chamoli earthquake, measuring 6.8, brings large scale destruction. Anti-dam activists up in
arms about safety
1999 Committee of secretaries of the Union government clears dam
January 2001 Bhuj Earthquake Again Raises Concerns
April 2001 Government Forms another Committee under the S&T Minister Murli Manohar
Joshi
November 2002 M M Joshi Committee Submits Its Report. Says The Dam Is Safe To Withstand
An Earthquake Of High Magnitude
September 2003 In A Divided Verdict, The Supreme Court Clears The Legal Hurdles For Dam
Construction
March 2004 Tunnel T2 Closed. Water Level Rises To 648 Metres Submerging Many Parts Of
Old Tehri Town
July 29, 2004 Water Level Rises To 655 Metres Submerging The Remaining Parts Of The Tehri
Town. Residents Flee For Their Lives
August 2004 Internal Landslide at The Dam Site. 29 Workers Dead
2006 Tehri Town Fully Submerges. First Stage Of Project Completes. (Total Production 1000
Mw)

5. Components of Tehri Hydro Power Complex
Tehri Hydro Power Complex (2400 MW), comprises the following components:
1. Tehri Dam & Hydro Power Plant (1000 MW)
2. Koteshwar Hydro Electric Project (400 MW)
3. Tehri Pumped Storage Plant (PSP) (1000 MW)
The Govt. in March, 1994 approved the implementation of Tehri Dam & HPP (1000 MW) along
with committed works of Koteshwar HEP and essential works of Tehri PSP, as Stage-I of Tehri
Power Complex. With the synchronization 4th unit of 250 MW in March-07, Tehri Power
Station has become fully operation with installed capacity of 1000 MW.
The 400 MW Koteshwar HEP, was approved by Govt. in April,2000 and the work has
progressed in right earnest and after completion of major excavation work in Dam & Spillway,
Stiling Basin and Power Intake area, the concreting was started and is progressing in full swing.
Investment approval for Tehri PSP (1000 MW) has been accorded by the Govt. in July’06 at an
estimated project cost of Rs. 1657.60 Cr. (at Dec’05 Price Level) with Debt Equity ratio of
70:30. The essential works of Tehri PSP have already been completed with Tehri Dam & HPP
Stage-I.
Estimated Project Cost
Item Cost in Crores Rupees
Major Civil works including Hydro
1325.76
Mechanical works
Electro Mechanical Equipment 543.03
Infrastructure 152.02
Rehabilitation & resettlement 412.22
Environment 66.00
Establishment 249.53
Others 180.24
Sub total 2963.66
Interest During Construction(IDC) and
427.74
Financing Charges
Total Rs. 3357.04

6. Actual Project Cost
Due to some agitations lot of valuable construction time was lost and there was delay in the
startup work. The project revised cost estimates as per March 2002-03 is as follows.
Item Cost in Crores Rupees
Major Civil works including Hydro
3034.59
Mechanical works
Electro Mechanical Equipment 1107.85
Infrastructure 159.67
Rehabilitation & resettlement 983.14
Environment 141.74
Establishment 346.93
Others 287.40
Sub total 6061.32
Interest During Construction(IDC) and
560.00
Financing Charges
Total 6621.32
Project Cost Escalation and Completion Time through the Year
S.
No.
Description Amount in Rs. Crores
1 Total Cost of Project March 93 Price
level to be completed in 1999
2963.66
2 March 2003 Price level To be
commissioned by 2005 (March)
6621.32 crores
3 Feb. 2005, (Expenditure to date) To be
completed by March 2006
6896.84 crores
Type of Contract
The contract bidding was as per the International Contract Bidding procedures (ICB) and bids
were undertaken for various packages constituting the total work. It is a normal item rate
contract. These procedures are prevalent in the construction industry in India and were
acceptable to the THDC and Govt. of India.

7. Contractors
1. Dam:
The tenders for dam were invited in 1993. The bidders gave wide ranging cost estimates and
programmes. This necessitated rebidding. The important details of rebid are given below.
1
2 Date of tender floated – 8th May 1996
3 Date of bid opening – 9th Aug. 1996
4 Date of Letter of intent – 10th Jan. 1997
5 Date of agreement – 27th Jan. 1997
6 Date start of work – 1st Feb. 1997
7 Value of contract – Rs. 898.45 crores
The following were the bidders for the Dam.
1 M/S Jaiprakash Industries
2 Hindustan Construction Company
3 Continental Construction Company
The contract was awarded to Jaiprakash Industries
2. Spill way:
The bids for spillway were invited as per the following details.
1) Date of tender initiated – 18th Sept. 1998
2) Date of opening of bids – 11th Nov. 1998
3) Date of issue of Letter of Intent – 15th Dec. 1998
4) Date of agreement – 28th 1998
5) Date of start of work – 1st Feb. 1998
6) Value of contract – Rs. 474.81
The bidders were as follows
1) Jaiprakash Industries
2) Karamchand Thapar
3) Hindustan Construction Company
4) Lanco
5) Gammons
6) Bhagirathi
The contract was awarded to Jaiprakash Industries

8. 3. Power House:
The tenders for Power House (Package I, II, III) were floated in 1995. The following are the
important acts.
(1) Tenders floated on 10.05.93
(2) Tenders opened on 15.12.93
(3) Amendments issued on 19.08.93
(4) Price bid opened on 03.01.95
(5) Contract awarded on 09.11.95
(6) Value of contract for the packages Rs. 210.84 crores
Following were the bidders
(1) M/S Thapars
(2) Hindustan Construction Ltd.
The contract was awarded to M/S Thapars
4. Tehri Pumped Storage Plant:
Major works of the Project have been planned to be executed through a single EPC contract.
Agreement for EPC/Turnkey execution of the Project has been signed with the consortium of
M/S Alstom Hydro France and Hindustan Construction Company on 23rd June-2011. Work
on the project has commenced w.e.f. 27th Jul-11.
Problems of the project
Major projects done in far flung and inhospitable terrain with seismic risk, executed in younger
Himalayan rocks may have many problems. Any project is normally executed with activities in
the following chronology.
(1) Site identification, pre feasibility
(2) Detailed investigation
(3) Planning of the project and preparation of detailed feasibility report with realistic cost
estimates.
(4) Designing of different components
(5) Arranging finances
(6) Rehabilitation and resettlement and land acquisition
(7) Infrastructure development
(8) Setting up base facilities for construction
(9) Construction
(10) Testing the system and operation

9. Dam safety
Safety of Tehri Dam had always been an issue with the local people and the knowledgeable
persons in the scientific field. In Feb. 1967, Mr. N.N.Yakovlov, UN Expert, recommended
rockfill Dam to be the best solution. Mr. J.B. Cook, of USA in1972 also concluded that a high
Dam at Tehri was feasible. In the year 1990 a high level committee was also constituted to look
into it further. This committee also considered the Dam safe. After Utterakashi earthquake in
October, 1991 the matter was once again looked into in depth. The Russians also studied the
earthquake safety and declared it to be the gentle Dam to with stand severe earthquake shocks up
to 8.5 magnitude.
Benefits
The main benefits from the Project when completed would be:
 Addition to the installed capacity in Northern Region: 1000 MW (2400 MW on completion
of entire Complex)
 Annual energy availability peaking: 3568 Million Units (6200 MU on completion of entire
Complex)
 Additional irrigation in 2.7 lakh hectares area besides stabilization in existing 6.04 lakh
hectares area.
 162 Million Gallons of water per day (300 Cusecs) for drinking water supply to Delhi to
cater to a population of 40 lac.
 108 Million Gallons of water per day (200 Cusecs) for drinking water supply to the towns
and villages of Uttar Pradesh.
 Integrated development of Garhwal Region, including construction of a new hill stations viz.
New Tehri Town (NTT) with provision of all possible facility, improved communication,
education, health, tourist traffic, setting up of non- polluting industries, development of
horticulture, fisheries, afforestation of the region etc. much to the advantage of the people of
the region.