In Pursuit of Preparing Tomorrow's Technologists!

PHPA I DAM

October 26, 2023

Sonam Lhendup Dorji

05190014
BE4PE
 OUTLI
NE
• Background
• Causes
• Recommendations
• Pictures
• Current progress
 BACKGRO
UND
 2008: The then PHPA MD (R.N Khazanchi) proposed to change the dam site
– to generate more power
 June 2008: The then cabinet agreed to the proposal
 2012-13: The Joint Audit Report of:
1. Royal Audit Authority (RAA) – Bhutan
2. Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) – India
 PHPA, its main consultant WAPCOS (Water and Power Consultancy
Services), and CWC (Central Water Commission)
 Knew about geological weaknesses at the right bank area
 2009: Still went ahead with tendering of dam on above site
 BACKGRO
UND
 16th Feb 2009: Project dam bids opened – clearance issued by WAPCOS, on
behalf of GSI (without further investigations)
 July 2013: Major slide on right bank - could be fixed with Nu 3.5B of
mitigation measures (WAPCOS and CWC)
 August 2016: Another major slide – additional mitigation measures
 22nd Jan 2019: Repetition of slide
 21st PHPA Authority Meeting: Govt. insisted Indian consultants for
comprehensive solution
 CWC: Tasked to strengthen right bank (stability)
 1st Oct 2019: CWC report
 Dec 2019: Detailed drawings
 BACKGRO
UND
 PHPA officials confident enough – concreting from stable left bank
 Total dam width: 241 m
 Starting work area in left side: 51 m
 Proposal of CWC: Right bank constructed over 288 concrete piles driven into
ground – to avoid excavating shear zone below right bank
 Bhutanese side not very convinced (long term) – overall review
 NHPC (National Hydro Power Corporation) – 3rd party review of WAPCOS
and CWC proposal
 BACKGRO
UND
 NHPC recommendation – abandon dam site
 Minimum factor of safety:
 International standard: >=1
 European standard: 1.5 to 1.8
 CWC’s factor of safety: 1.2 to 1.4
 NHPC disagreed – factor of safety below 1 (unsafe)
 Instead recommended to build a smaller structure (barrage) – 820 m upstream
of the current dam site
 A dam significantly raises the water level and has storage capacity while a
barrage is a less tall structure that focuses more on diverting water flow.
 BACKGRO
UND
 NHPC’s criticism was not only restricted to right bank but also the Stilling
Basin - to reduce the velocity and flow of the water coming out of the Dam’s
sluice gates - not adequate.
 Normally a stilling basin has hard rock under it but given its absence, the
proposal was to build a 7-meter concrete raft to take the impact.
 A foreign 3rd party expert – After its own study & review of reports of CWC
and NHPC – concluded as too risky (weakness of right bank)
 Similar recommendation – barrage upstream
 BACKGRO
UND
 Barrage option was found to be:
 Much less risky
 1200 MW generation – not expected to be significantly affected
 Save costs
 Highway passing over dam will not have to be relocated
 Still utilize HRT and power house which are almost complete. Current HRT
can be elongated to reach the barrage.
 The project’s original completion date: Nov 2016
 Repeated delays (right bank area) - several new deadlines with the last one
being in 2025.
 BACKGRO
UND
 Budget 2020 document: P-I hydroelectric is expected to be commissioned in
March, 2025
 Revised estimated cost: Nu 93.755B
 Initial budget allocation (2008): 35B
 As of March, 2020, Nu 79.453B has been disbursed and 86.65% of the works
had been completed with the main uncompleted works being the dam.
 CHANGE OF
LOCATION
 The original dam site, studied under DPR was located 1.5 km d/s of present
dam site.
 Location was shifted in 2008 with an understanding that dam foundation
grade rock will be available under river bed at 45 m depth (original depth –
78 m)
 However at the new location also, it was still 78 m
 CAUSE
S
 Geological weakness: The right bank threatened stability of dam. This was
known but not thoroughly addressed.
 Inadequate safety factor: Below international standards, making it risky. The
initial recommendations and strengthening measures were insufficient.
 Insufficient stilling basin: Inadequate design of stilling basin
 Change in dam site: Without conducting comprehensive geological
investigations.
 Lack of comprehensive solution: Despite major slides, no comprehensive
solution until 2019 (insistence of Govt.)
 RECOMMENDA
TIONS
 Through geological surveys: Conduct comprehensive geological surveys and
studies before initiating any hydropower project to identify potential
weaknesses or risks.
 Adherence to safety hazards: Ensure that all dam construction projects meet
or exceed international safety standards (factor of safety) to minimize risks.
 Independent reviews: Engage independent and third-party experts to review
project proposals and designs to ensure objectivity and prevent conflicts of
interest.
 RECOMMENDA
TIONS
 Consult local and international experts: Seek expertise from both local and
international experts in dam construction and geology to benefit from a wide
range of perspectives and experiences.
 Rigorous project planning: Ensure that all phases of the project are
thoroughly planned, including contingency plans for potential issues that
may arise.
 CURRENT
PROGRESS
 Overall progress: 87.73% (Aug 31, 2023)
 MC-1 Dam: 69.87%
 MC-2 HRT: 100%
 MC-3 Underground Power House: 100%
 Electro-mechanical works: 98.58%
 Transmission line: 99.94%
PICTUR
ES
PICTUR
ES
 REFERENC
ES
 Lamsang, “Current Punatsangchu I dam likely to be abandoned for a barrage
upstream,” The Bhutanese, Feb. 09, 2021. [Online]. Available:
https://thebhutanese.bt/current-punatsangchu-i-dam-likely-to-be-abandoned-
for-a-barrage-upstream/
 Wikipedia contributors, “Comptroller and Auditor General of India,”
Wikipedia, Aug. 24, 2023.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comptroller_and_Auditor_General_of_India
 REFERENC
ES
 “WAPCOS.” https://www.wapcos.co.in/
 Dr Dhawan Academy of Geologists, “‘Punatsangchhu-I, Bhutan: What Went
Wrong?’ Academy Open House.09, 12 Dec 2020,” YouTube. Dec. 15, 2020.
[Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqDDLiDqHA0
 ChatGPT 3.5
 “Punatshangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project Authority.”
https://www.phpa1.gov.bt/home-2/
THANK
YOU