‘Subansiri dam can resist major quake’

Guwahati: The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), which is handling the 2,000-MW Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project at Gerukamukh in Arunachal Pradesh, said the dam has been designed to withstand major earthquakes.
After the Nepal earthquake, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) demanded scrapping of the Lower Subansiri project, expressing apprehension over the dam’s safety in view of the fact that the northeast is located in the highly-seismic Zone V.
NHPC chief (PR) S Murugappan said the project adopts adequate seismic design parameters to withstand a major earthquake.
“As far as the design of the Lower Subansiri dam is concerned, various site-specific investigations were thoroughly and dedicatedly undertaken to follow the code procedures in designing and constructing the dam. All of them have been scrutinized by apex bodies of the country and government-constituted teams of experts at various stages,” Murugappan said.
“As such, there cannot be a situation that a major earthquake may distress the dam,” he added.
The NHPC said there had been no reports of collapse of dams owing to earthquake because the structures were designed to withstand strong ground motion and hence they are earthquake resistant.
It added that there had not been any ‘distress’ report in any of the 23 hydro-power projects under operation in Nepal.
Further, it said, even though the tremors of the Nepal earthquake were felt in Indian states, the hydro-power stations constructed by NHPC in Uttarakhand, Sikkim and West Bengal were not affected.