Dam withholds a reservoir of 2.6 billion cubic meters for irrigation, municipal water supply and the generation of 1,000 MW of hydroelectricity along with an additional 1,000 MW of pumped storage hydroelectricity.
The past:- an investigation report for the dam was completed in 1961 and designed in 1972 for 600 MW capacity power plant based of the study. Construction began in 1978 after feasibility studies but was delayed because of financial, environmental and social impacts. In 1986, technical and financial assistance was provided by the USSR but this was interrupted years later with political instability. India was forced to take control of the project and at first it was placed under the direction of the Irrigation Department of Uttar Pradesh. However, in 1988, the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation was formed to manage the dam and 75% of the funding would be providing by the federal government, 25% by the state. Uttar Pradesh would finance the entire irrigation portion of the project. In 1990, the project was reconsidered and the design changed to its current multi-purpose, including a 2400 MW power production capacity. Construction on the Tehri Dam was complete in 2006 while the second part of the project, the Koteshwar Dam, remains ongoing.
The Tehri dam is located in the Central Himalayan Seismic Gap, a major geologic fault zone. This region was the site of a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in October 1991, with an epicenter 500 km from the location of the dam. The relocation of more than 100,000 people from the area has led to protracted legal battles over resettlement rights, and ultimately resulted in the project's delayed completion.
A study by Prof. T. Shivaji Rao who is Director, Centre for Environmental Studies, Gitam University, Visakhapatnam said that the Indian Government has been completed the project against the proper security majors, a large number of eminent seismologists and environmentalists from all over the world, can you believe on that the famous environmentalist is saying that as per laws under the environmental Protection Act, 1986 disaster management and risk management plan have not make by concern authority.
The Reason for TIME BOMB:-
1- Terrorist may attack to the Dam as per terrorist attack in last 5 years in India as well as world.
2- Earth-Quack can be demolish the Dam as the Himalayan area is very sensitive for earthquake and past can be consider for the same such as Uttarkashi on 20th OCT 1991 and Chamoli earthquake on 29th march 1999 etc.
3- Russian expert predicted that dame will collapse by several reasons.
4- Gaur Committee has also rejected Tehri dam for secure.
There are several reason for that and I think that can be true it is a TIME BOMB, if it is right as study says so why government has build up that project, why government given a BOMB to Uttrakhand Garhwal Himalaya, which place is known for there natural surrounding, there calm, there beauty.
Ref.- An environmental studies report from Prof. Shivaji Rao.