The Meghalaya Power Generation Corporation Limited (MePGCL) has issued a tender for a new site‑specific seismic study of the Umiam Stage‑I dam, one of the state’s oldest and most important hydropower projects, according to a report from The Shillong Times.
The tender, posted on the Meghalaya government e‑procurement portal on 17 September, calls for an agency to conduct a one‑dimensional multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) investigation. Bids close on 1 October at 3 p.m. and will be opened the same day at 4 p.m. The study aims to gather technical information on ground and site conditions to assess the dam’s response to earthquake forces.
Umiam Stage‑I was commissioned in fiscal year 1966 and has four 9‑MW generating units, giving it a total installed capacity of 36 MW. The dam has previously been examined for traffic‑induced vibrations by the Central Water and Power Research Station, and other technical studies have been carried out over its six‑decade history.
The tender does not indicate that the dam has a current safety problem, but it underscores the importance of keeping an ageing asset up to date. The outcome of the assessment could inform future dam‑safety evaluations and any necessary strengthening or rehabilitation work. MePGCL will need to clarify when the last comprehensive seismic assessment was performed and whether this investigation is part of a routine safety exercise.
