NTPC and Tangedco to acquire forest land for Upper Bhavani project

NTPC and Tangedco are expected to acquire 200 hectares for the Upper Bhavani Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project, mostly from land held by the forest department. The project area lies near Upper Bhavani and Avalanche, both known for high biodiversity and low human activity.

The project will produce 1,000 MW using a water conductor system connecting Upper Bhavani, which lies at a higher elevation, to the Avalanche Dam. Eight turbines will be installed to enable daily electricity generation for six hours.

The joint venture between NTPC and Tangedco has 18 months to finalise the detailed project report (DPR). Construction will begin once the DPR is complete and is expected to take six years. The project is one of 12 pumped hydro storage schemes planned across hilly regions in Tamil Nadu, for which a government order has been issued.

The land to be acquired includes holdings from the forest and revenue departments, and private patta land.  

Power Peak Digest reported in May that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) granted initial approval to conduct an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the project. The commissioning target is 2030 with a total investment of Rs 50.05 billion.