Hydel Power and Multi-Purpose River Valley Projects

Study Notes

Hydel power, also known as hydroelectricity, is electricity generated from water.
It is produced by harnessing the energy released when water falls from a high level with great force.
The process involves constructing a dam to collect water, which is then allowed to fall from a height, moving the blades of a turbine, and ultimately rotating a generator to produce electricity.

These projects involve building dams on rivers to block water for various purposes, including domestic use, irrigation, navigation, and hydroelectric power generation.
They also help prevent soil erosion and control floods.

The total power generation capacity of hydroelectric power plants depends on the head of water and the volume of water flowing towards the water turbine.

Hydel power is a clean, non-polluting source of energy.
It does not produce any greenhouse gases or harmful waste.
It is a renewable source of energy that can be used again and again.
Dams built to produce hydroelectricity help to save and restore water.
It is economical and sustainable as it saves on fossil fuels and is cheaper than electricity produced from fossil fuels and nuclear power.

The cost of building dams for producing hydroelectricity is quite high.
Building a large dam can alter the natural water-table level and cause serious geological damage like triggering earthquakes.
It can also displace many people from the area, disturbing their life physically, mentally, and psychologically.

The Bhakra Nangal Project is a joint venture of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan Governments.
The project comprises two dams, one at Bhakra and another at Nangal, along with a hydel plant, power houses, and a canal system.
The Bhakra Dam is the second highest dam in India, built across the Sutlej River, and has a reservoir named Gobind Sagar with a storage capacity of 9.3 billion cubic meters.
The Nangal Dam supplies water to Bhakra irrigation canals and has a power house with an installed capacity of 1204 mw.
The Bhakra Canal System provides irrigation facilities to farms in Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan.