The Vishnugad Pipalkoti Hydro Electric Project (4 x 111 MW) is located on river Alaknanda, a major tributary of river Ganga, in district Chamoli in the state of Uttarakhand. The nearest railhead is Rishikesh (225 Km) and the nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun (240 Km). The project is approachable by an all weather road (National Highway 58). The project envisages a run of the river scheme with construction of a diversion dam of 65 m height across river Alaknanda for power generation harnessing a gross head of 237 m. The reservoir will have a gross storage capacity of 3.63 Million Cum, out of which 2.47 Million Cum shall be live storage. A diversion tunnel of 10.50 m dia. shall divert the discharge up to 725 Cumec during the construction period. The water conductor system comprises of 03 intake tunnels, 03 underground de-silting chambers, a head race tunnel, a surge shaft, 02 pressure shafts bifurcating into 4 penstocks. The power house comprises of two separate underground caverns namely machine hall and transformer hall for installation of turbines and transformers.

Revised Cost Estimate

•   RCE- I of ₹ 3860.35 Cr. at Feb'2019 PL of VPHEP accorded on 31.07.2021. 
CEA has approved time overrun on 21.03.2025. RCE–II at Feb’25 PL, with a hard cost of ₹5,490.57 crore, was vetted by CEA on 30.10.2025. Further, hard cost of ₹5,494.22 crore at the completion level was finalized by CEA on 12.12.2025. Tariff and IDC are under finalization at CEA

Expected Commissioning of Project

Commissioning of Project is targeted by Sep’27.

SALIENT FEATURES
A.LOCATION:
State Uttarakhand
Distt. Chamoli
River Alaknanda

B.RESERVOIR:
Full reservoir level E L 1267 m
Maximum water level E L 1269 m (PMF)
Minimum draw down level E L 1252.5 m
Gross storage at FRL 3.63 M cum
Live storage 2.47 M cum

C.DIVERSION ARRANGEMENT:
Diversion Tunnel:
Location Left bank
Length 500 m
Diameter, shape 10.50 m, Circular
Design Discharge 725 m3/sec

D.DIVERSION DAM:
Type Concrete, gravity dam
Height 65 m
Top Level EL 1270 m
Length 98.02 m (NOF 32.02 m, OF 66 m)
Gross Head 237.0 m

E.SPILLING ARRANGEMENT:
Sluices:
Nos. 4
Size of sluice 9 m (W) x 18.50 m (H)
Type of gate Radial
Design Discharge 8921 m3/sec

Diversion cum Spillway Tunnel:
Diameter, shape 10.50 m dia, Circular
Length 100 m
Design Discharge 1578 m3/sec

Ogee spillway
No. 1
Type of gate vertical
Size 6 m (W) x 10 m (H)
Crest EL EL 1257 m
Design Discharge 368 m3/sec

F.POWER INTAKE:
Location Right bank
Nos. 3
Type Straight intake with bell mouth
Maximum discharge 274.63m3/sec
Intake invert level EL 1242.5 m
Size 6.2 m modified Horse shoe type

G.DESILTING CHAMBER:
Nos. 3
Size 390m(L)x16m(W)x21.25m(H)
Particle size to be removed 0.2 mm & above

H. HEAD RACE TUNNEL:
Length 13.4 km (12.0 km by TBM)
Diameter 8.8 m

I. UPSTREAM SURGESHAFT:
Diameter 22/8m
Height 154 m

J.PRESSURE SHAFT:
Nos. 2 / 4
Type Circular
Diameter 5.2 m / 3.65 m

K.POWER HOUSE:
Type Underground
Size 146 m (L) x 20.3 m (W) x 48 m (H)

L. TRANSFORMER HALL
Type Underground
Size 140.3 m (L) x 15 m (W) x 25.5 m (H)

M.TAIL RACE TUNNEL:
Dia 9.1 m (Circular)
Length 3.07 km

N.POWER GENERATION:
Design Energy(95% M/c Availability) 1657.09 MU
 

PROJECT BENEFITS

  1. Capacity addition of 444 MW in the Northern Region, reducing peaking power shortage in the region.
  2. Design Energy of 1657.09 MU (95% of M/c availability).
  3. Integrated Development of Chamoli / Garhwal region in the areas of employment, communication, education, health, tourism, development of Flora & Fauna, etc.
  4. Out of 13% free power to the home state Uttarakhand, 1% shall be utilized for contribution towards local area development.
DateEvent
06.12.2013Completion of land acquisition critical to project
01.01.2009Submission of Forest Proposal
03.06.2011Receipt of Stage-I Forest clearance 
05.04.2014Receipt of Working permission
28.05.2013Receipt of Stage-II Forest clearance
20.12.2012Receipt of Wild-life Clearance
22.08.2007 Receipt of Environment Clearance
10.04.2007Receipt of Clearances from State Pollution Control Board
26.02.2007PIB/EFC proposal Approval
21.08.2008CCEA Approval/Investment approval
19.12.2013Award of EPC Contract to M/s HCC Ltd. for Civil Works & HM Equipment works including penstock steel liners
17.10.2014Award of EPC Contract to M/s BHEL for EM Works
02.04.2018River Diversion
16.11.2023Completion of TBM Entry Adit through TBM
17.11.2023Start of HRT construction through TBM
03.08.2024Erection of EoT in Service Bay completed.
01.11.2024TRT Lining started.
20.11.2024Erection of DT liner in Unit -1 completed.
16.01.2025Erection of DT liner completed in Unit -2.
22.02.2025EoT crane extension up to Unit-1
30.04.2025Machine Hall excavation
21.06.2025Widening of U/S Surge Shaft
05.07.2025EoT crane extension up to Unit-2
31.08.2025Assembly of Rotor of Unit-1
22.09.2025Erection of spiral casing and completion of Hydro Static test of Unit-1 
22.11.2025In Transformer Hall, EOT Crane in Unit -1 of GIS Hall commissioned 
02.12.2025In Machine Hall, after erection & successful completion of Hydrostatic Test (HST) of the spiral casing of Unit-2 on 02.12.2025

The Project cost is to be funded with a Debt Equity ratio of 70:30. For the funding of the debt portion (70%) of the project cost, the Company had made financial tie up of US$ 648 million with the World Bank. However, on request of THDCIL, the World Bank has cancelled partial loan proceeds of US$ 100 million each 27.06.2019 and 07.04.2021. The loan amount for this project is now US$ 448 million.

Last Updated on 15/1/2026