PLANNING ACCESS TO HYDROPOWER PROJECTS

Abstract

Access for heavy equipment, construction material as well man power is the primary need before the start of construction phase of any hydropower projects. The access need to be examined with different alternatives to find short time taking, short distance and cost effective financial viable route location. The option for access may be roadway, ropeway, airway, mule, head load, railway and waterway depending on different location and topography of hydropower stations. The most common type of access for hydropower is road since, it has long life span and can support the social issue of general transport in the vicinity of the project site. However, ropeway may be the cheap option for material transport for quicker and relatively environmental friendly, but it does not provide long turn solution to the local people for the facility for transportation. When option for roadway and ropeway is not feasible, airway may be the best option for access on that hydropower project. For quick and effective transport for choosing the best economical access for hydropower projects, an economic analysis has been carried out and compared with the best option the project in Himanchal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. For the feasibility study of option for access to Harsil hydropower Project (200 kW) is remote area of Uttarakashi district of Uttarakhand, a site visit was carried out. The data were collected for the purpose of option for fixing the alignment route to reach at weir site. For Malana II (100 MW) and Sumez (14 MW) hydropower projects executed in the recent past in Himanchal Pradesh where ropeways were installed for transport of construction materials. Data on quantity of construction material transported by ropeway were collected and economic analysis were carried out with different options of transportation i.e. roadway, ropeway and airway. Economic analysis showed ropeway was the best option of access in all three case of hydropower project. So for choice of access for any hydropower project economic analysis gives the best option for the choice of route and option for access.