Baggi Power Plant held up as BBMB partner states fight over sharing of benefits
22-Feb-2010
Vinod Kumar Gupta
Nangal
Baggi Power Plant comprising two units of 20 MW each conceived three decades ago is yet to be executed as the partner states of BBMB are fighting over the sharing of benefits from the project.

Baggi Power Plant was to be constructed at the exit point of Pandoh Baggi tunnel to utilize the optimal natural fall at Baggi. The Baggi control works have been provided at the exit point of the Pandoh Baggi Tunnel for regulation of out flows from Pandoh Reservoir to meet the fluctuating demands of DeharPower Plant

BBMB has pleaded with the government of Himachal Pradesh to expeditiously resolve the issues hampering the development of the Baggi power project. The execution of project has been hanging fire since all the partners namely Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan have been unable to evolve a consensus over sharing of benefits that the project and are divided over its operation and maintenance responsibilities.

According to sources the main stumbling block is the sharing of benefits while other issues can be resolved with the help of the power ministry. It may be mentioned that BHEL and NHPC, have already committed their support to the project.
It may be mentioned that during the construction of Beas Satluj Link Project, it was observed that another power plant could be constructed at the exit of the Pandoh-Baggi Tunnel (PBT), as sufficient head was available between the Pandoh Reservoir and the start of Sunder Nagar Hydel Channel. Consequently, a bypass tunnel, upstream of the Baggi Control Works was constructed to divert the water for the proposed Baggi Power Project.