Three killed in Kinnaur''s hydroelectric plant accident

Shimla, November 19

Three people were killed and four others reported missing at a private hydroelectric plant in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district when an inlet valve -- controlling water supply to the turbine -- burst, officials said on Thursday.

The accident occurred on Wednesday night at the 100-MW Sorang power project, owned by Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA) and around 200 km from the state capital.

The victims were swept away by the gushing waters when the main inlet valve -- controlling water supply to the turbine -- burst, Deputy Commissioner Naresh Kumar Lath told IANS over phone.

Six houses located close to the plant were also damaged, he said.

"We can confirm (that) two contractors working at the Sorang hydropower plant are missing following an incident which is believed to involve a failure within a section of the facility's penstock pipeline," a company statement said.

It said all other people working on the plant had been accounted for and were safe. "Families of the missing individuals have been informed," it added.

In June, three engineers were killed while fixing a new turbine at the 2-MW Rongtong hydroelectric plant near Kaza town, around 420 km from Shimla. — IANS