Teesta-V Power Station awarded ‘Blue Planet Prize’

Teesta-V, a 510 megawatt power station set up by NHPC Limited, India’s largest organization for hydropower development in India was conferred the prestigious ‘Blue Planet Prize’ by International Hydropower Association (IHA), a London based non-profit association with presence in around 120 countries.

Located in the Himalayan state of Sikkim, Teesta-V Power Station was built, owned and operated by NHPC Limited.

According to a press release by NHPC Limited, the award for Teesta-V Power Station was announced on 23^rd September, 2021 during the World Hydropower Congress, 2021. The award had been conferred to Teesta-V Power Station based on its sustainability assessment undertaken by a team of accredited lead assessors of IHA in 2019 using the Operation Stage tool of the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (HSAP) of IHA.

Speaking on the occasion, A.K. Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, NHPC Limited, said, “The sustainability assessment of Teesta-V Power Station was a learning experience for our organization as it was the first such assessment carried out in India. The results of this assessment highlight the commitment of NHPC towards sustainable power development by involving all the stake holders including the local community and minimizing the impacts on environment. The recognition through this award enhances the image of NHPC on Global platform. It will encourage and inspire us to achieve higher standards in sustainable hydropower generation.”

The IHA membership includes leading hydropower owners and operators, developers, designers, suppliers and consultants. The IHA Blue Planet Prize is awarded to hydropower projects that demonstrate excellence in sustainable development. The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (HSAP) is the leading international tool for measuring the sustainability of hydropower projects. It offers a way to benchmark the performance of a hydropower project against a comprehensive range of environmental, social, technical and governance criteria. Assessments are based on objective evidence and the results are presented in a standardized report.