ANDRITZ Hydro has reported progress on the renovation and modernisation of the Umiam–Umtru Stage III hydropower plant in the northeastern Indian state of Meghalaya, where the company is upgrading electromechanical equipment for the 66MW facility.
The works are being carried out for Meghalaya Power Generation Corporation Limited (MePGCL), the state-owned utility responsible for operating most of Meghalaya’s hydropower assets.
According to the company, several recent milestones have been achieved on site, including the installation of a 65-tonne generator stator for Unit 1 and the replacement of a butterfly valve at the plant’s valve house. The valve installation required the use of a 250-tonne crane because the structure has no direct road access.
The stator was delivered to site fully assembled due to space limitations at the powerhouse. It was temporarily stored and then lowered into the generator pit before installation of the rotor.
The modernisation programme is intended to upgrade key electromechanical components using new technology and extend the operating life of the plant. Commissioning of the upgraded units is expected in 2026.
The Umiam–Umtru complex is a cascade of hydropower stations on the Umiam and Umtru rivers in Meghalaya. It forms one of the main sources of hydropower generation in the state and has been developed in several stages since the 1960s.
The first stage of the scheme was built following construction of the Umiam dam, which created the reservoir known as Umiam Lake near the city of Shillong. The initial powerhouse, commissioned in 1965, was the first reservoir-based hydropower project in northeastern India.
Umiam–Umtru Stage III, located at Kyrdemkulai in Ri-Bhoi district, was commissioned in 1979 and consists of two generating units with a combined installed capacity of 60MW. The plant uses Francis turbines and operates within the broader cascade that includes Umiam Stages I, II and IV as well as downstream projects on the Umtru river.
Hydropower plays a key role in Meghalaya’s energy mix. The state has an estimated hydroelectric potential of around 3,000MW, although only a small portion has been developed, leaving the region reliant on electricity imports to meet demand.
The ongoing renovation and modernisation programme for Stage III forms part of efforts by the state utility to improve reliability and efficiency of ageing hydro infrastructure while maintaining generation capacity from existing assets.
