Jal Urja Mitra Skill Development Programme
Jal Urja Mitra Skill Development
Jal Urja Mitra Skill Development Programme for Small Hydro Power (SHP)Projects sponsored by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India is offered to develop 1,680 Jal UriaMitras by FY 2025-26 for the country. The programme is coordinated by Department of Hydro and Renewable Energy (HRED) (formerly AHEC), IIT Roorkee, established in the year 1982 and is a Skill Council of Green Jobs (SCGJ)centre of excellence of skilling in small hydropower domain. The programme shall follow the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship norms with additional support of strengthening the training institutions in remote areas.
Brief Job Description of the Jal UrjaMitra
Small Hydro Technician (Jal UrjaMitra) is specialized to operate, test and maintain different electrical, mechanical and civil components of Small Hydro Power plants of all types to meet the performance and reliability needs by incorporating quality workmanship and complying with all applicable codes, standards and safety requirements.
The course shall cover following:
i) Role and Responsibilities of a Small Hydropower Plant Operation &Maintenance (O&M) Technician (Jal UrjaMitra)
ii) Components and Layout of SHP Plant
iii) SHP Plant Components Inspection
iv)Start and shut down of SHP plant
v) Workplace Safety and Hygiene
vi) Effective and Efficient Working Practices
vii) Operate the Electro-Mechanical System in a Small Hydro Plant
viii) Maintain the Electro-Mechanical System
ix)Operate the Hydro-mechanical and Civil Systems in a Small Hydro Plant
x) Maintain the Hydro-mechanical and Civil Systems
Major Outcomes
- Identify and describe the components and layout of a Small Hydro Power (SHP) plant, including electrical, mechanical, hydro-mechanical, and civil systems.
- Operate and maintain electro-mechanical systems in SHP plants, ensuring efficient and safe functioning of turbines, generators, and control equipment
- Perform inspection, routine maintenance, and troubleshooting tasks on SHP plant components to enhance plant performance and reliability
- Follow standard operating procedures for the safe start-up and shutdown of SHP plants, adhering to workplace safety, hygiene, and environmental norms
- Implement effective and efficient working practices in SHP plant operations, complying with quality standards, safety regulations, and national codes
Trainers
Himanshu Nautiyal
Mechanical Engineering Department
THDC Institute of Hydropower Engineering & Technology, Tehri
Nitin Kumar Gupta
Electrical Engineering Department
THDC Institute of Hydropower Engineering & Technology, Tehri
Mandeep Guleria
Electrical Engineering Department
THDC Institute of Hydropower Engineering & Technology, Tehri
Sameer Verma
Civil Engineering Department
THDC Institute of Hydropower Engineering & Technology, Tehri
Jyoti Prakash Semwal
Civil Engineering Department
THDC Institute of Hydropower Engineering & Technology, Tehri
Bhilangana Stage III Hydropower Project
- Type & Capacity: Run-of-river hydropower plant with an installed capacity of 24 MW, comprising 3 turbines × 8 MW each
- Location: Situated on the Bhilangana River, a tributary of the Bhagirathi, near Ghuttu, Ghansali Tehsil, Tehri district, at approximately 1,000 m elevation
- Developer: Implemented by Bhilangana Hydro Power Limited, with ownership and oversight by UJVNL (Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam)
Features
- Weir & Intake: A diversion weir spans the Bhilangana River, leading water into an intake structure equipped with stop-log and service gates, as well as trash racks to filter debris
- Tunnel & Desilting Works: Water is channeled through a 4 m-diameter horseshoe tunnel, followed by an underground desilting chamber to reduce sediment load
- Aqueduct & Penstock: The flow continues via an aqueduct into a steel penstock (3.25 m diameter), encased in concrete, conveying water to the powerhouse
- Surge Shaft: A vertical, eccentrically located surge shaft with hoist is included to relieve hydraulic pressure fluctuations.
- Powerhouse & Turbine Units: A surface powerhouse houses three turbines (8 MW Francis-type) with associated draft tube gates and generators supplied by Voith Hydro
- Run of River Design: The project leverages natural river flow without a large reservoir, minimizing inundation but requiring precise flow balance