Teesta-V Hydropower Station

About Teesta-V Hydropower Station:

• It is a 510 MW hydropower project located on the Teesta River basin in Gangtok district, Sikkim. 
• This run-of-river project has an 88.6-meter high, 176.5-meter-long, concrete gravity dam impounding a regulating reservoir for daily power peaking.
• It has been developed in a single phase. The project construction commenced in 1999 and subsequently entered into commercial operation in 2008. 
• The project is developed and owned by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).

Key Facts about Teesta River:

• It is a trans-Himalayan River flowing through the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal and Rangpur in Bangladesh.
• It is a tributary of Brahmaputra River.
• This river forms a boundary between Sikkim and West Bengal.
• Course:
  • It rises in the Himalayas near Chunthang in Sikkim (India), flows to the south, cutting a deep gorge through the Siwalik Hills east of Darjiling (in West Bengal, India).
  • It turns southeast to run through the Sivok Khola passonto the plains of West Bengal.
  • Originally, the river continued southward to empty directly into the upper Padma River (Ganges).
  • About 1787, however, the river changed its course to flow eastward, crossing the Rangpur region of Bangladesh to join the Jamuna River (Brahmaputra).
  • It has a total length of about 309 kilometers, and it drains an area of about 12,540 square kilometers. 
• Major Tributaries:
  • Left-bank Tributaries: Lachung Chhu, Chakung Chhu, Dik Chhu, Rani Khola, Rangpo Chhu.
  • Right-bank Tributaries: Zemu Chhu, Rangyong Chhu, Rangit River.

Q1: What is a gravity dam?

A gravity dam is a type of dam structure that is primarily designed to resist the force of gravity and hold back water or other materials. It relies on its own weight and mass to counteract the horizontal pressure exerted by the water or other materials it is retaining. Gravity dams are among the oldest and most common types of dams used for various purposes, including water supply, irrigation, flood control, and hydroelectric power generation.

Source: Sikkim landslide damages NHPC power project building