ICOLD'24: India's Engineering Excellence in Dam Construction & Management
The five-day event featured workshops, short courses, technical programs, and panel discussions that addressed critical issues related to dam engineering, water management, and sustainable development. The event offered attendees networking opportunities through cultural events, technical tours, and social activities.
During the inaugural conference, Michel Lino, President of ICOLD, France, remarked: “ICOLD-24, held in Incredible India, provided an excellent forum for knowledge exchange among policymakers, dam owners, professionals, institutions, scientists, and industry leaders from around the world.” He highlighted the evolving landscape of dam construction, emphasizing a shift from large reservoirs to smaller, efficient storage systems, which offer significant potential for energy transition and reduced environmental impact.
R.K. Vishnoi, President of INCOLD and CMD of THDC India Limited, addressed a gathering of esteemed hydropower experts from around the globe, highlighting India’s significant progress in expanding its hydropower capacity and positioning the country as a leader in clean energy solutions. He emphasized India's leadership in vital water infrastructure projects, including the Bhakra, Koldam, Tehri, Bichom, and Subansiri Lower dams, as well as World Bank-supported rehabilitation projects. These initiatives have greatly contributed to the sustainable growth of India's agriculture, water supply, and power sectors. He also noted the remarkable achievements in dam construction and design over the past few decades in India, emphasizing the importance of advanced technologies and in-house practices available for tackling complex challenges in this field.
Debashree Mukherjee, IAS, Secretary of the Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Jal Shakti, stressed the importance of risk-based asset safety assessments across India’s dam portfolio. She stated, “This risk-based assessment is being implemented for the first time, and we hope it will serve as a model for other countries.” She highlighted the emerging challenges in storage, with an estimated loss of 50 billion cubic meters of capacity by 2050 —precious resources that we cannot afford to lose, and called for more technical solutions from experts gathered at the symposium. “We are actively working on sediment management and have established guidelines for it. While we aim to increase capacities, we need more technical solutions developed by the community of experts gathered here.”
Ghanshyam Prasad, Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), emphasized the significance of hydropower in India's energy transition, noting that while its importance diminished during the country's energy crisis a decade ago, it is now time to accelerate hydropower development. He stated, "We are also in the midst of an energy transition, focusing on energy security and clean energy—objectives that are globally relevant."
Prasad highlighted the projected growth of renewable energy, particularly solar, which is expected to increase from approximately 84-85 GW to 290 GW by 2030, and potentially reach around 1,200 GW by 2047. He noted that the challenge lies in ensuring energy security during non-solar hours and low wind seasons, where hydro pumped storage emerges as a suitable solution. "Currently, we have a capacity of only 4,700 MW, but our target is to expand this significantly," he remarked.
He further detailed that several states, including Rajasthan, are exploring new hydro pumped storage projects that minimize ecological impact by using off-stream closed-loop systems. "We can increase our hydro pumped storage capacity to 180 GW, with 120,000 MW already cleared for development," he added.
Prasad stressed the importance of timely investments and efficient project execution, mentioning recent projects approved by the Central Electricity Authority that aim for completion within 40-45 months. He concluded by inviting stakeholders to attend an upcoming power sector development event on October 14-15, targeting 2047, to discuss these vital developments.
Devendra Kumar Sharma, Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission and Hon. Vice President of ICOLD, underscored the importance of water storage in dams for energy transition and climate change adaptation. “It’s important to store water in our dams to combat climate change, achieve our targets of net-zero emissions, and ensure water and food security.”
R.K. Chaudhary, CMD of NHPC, highlighted the critical importance of dams in India's water management and energy generation. He also delivered a lecture on ‘Sediment Management Practices in NHPC's Power Stations.’ Later, he chaired a panel discussion titled "Dams and People," featuring representatives from Romania, the USA, Slovenia, Japan, and India, who presented relevant case studies. He also visited the NHPC pavilion, which showcased the company's expertise in dam construction.
During the press conference, Professor Arun Kumar from IIT Roorkee highlighted the challenges in dam safety, using the Sardar Sarovar Dam as an example of effective management and planning. He emphasized that “while perceptions of dams vary, their importance in benefiting people, the environment, and ensuring water and energy security is significant, especially in the context of climate change and extreme weather events. Dams play a vital role in providing essential resources like water and power while also helping to mitigate the impacts of floods and droughts.”
Professor Kumar noted that while some isolated issues have arisen in the past, the introduction of the Dam Safety Act will ensure that dams are carefully monitored, reviewed, and continuously improved, making them stronger and more resilient in the future. “In terms of energy security, dams will continue to play a crucial role as the world transitions to renewable energy sources. The need for storage—whether on the surface or underground—remains essential to meet the growing demand for water, particularly for irrigation and drinking purposes,” he said.
“It will be heartening to witness the evolution of more hybrid mechanisms for funding dams, which will be instrumental in ensuring high growth and sustainable development in India. Like in other industries, technology and artificial intelligence will play a key role in the future, from the planning stage to monitoring, especially for dams located in hinterlands. The media should focus on highlighting the positive aspects and roles of dams in sustainable development and environmental protection,” he said in conclusion.
Frederic Correge, Secretary General of ICOLD, expressed his satisfaction with the event, praising the Indian engineers for their expertise and highlighting the significance of ICOLD as a platform for knowledge sharing in dam engineering and water management. “I am happy to participate in my first annual meeting of the International Commission on Large Dams. No less than 70 countries are present to discuss best practices for safe and efficient operations of dams and to highlight the crucial role they play in managing water resources and producing renewable energy. It is heartening to note that Indian engineers are at par with the best in the world. Our INCOLD office bearers also deserve praise for taking every possible initiative in successfully conducting ICOLD-24 in New Delhi.”
A.K. Dinkar, Secretary General of INCOLD and Secretary of the Central Board of Irrigation and Power, thanked all dignitaries, delegates, and guests for their participation and noted the remarkable response to ICOLD-2024, with over 6,000 delegates from 70 countries. He emphasized INCOLD's mission to advance knowledge in dam engineering—covering construction, planning, operation, performance, rehabilitation, decommissioning, maintenance, security, and safety—and to promote best practices. “We aim to foster dam technology for socially, environmentally, and financially sustainable water resource systems through ongoing interactions with ICOLD. We will continue our efforts to build greater public awareness of the role of dams in managing the nation's water resources and enhancing best practices to address current and future challenges. We are about to kick off our plans to commemorate the centenary year of CBIP in 2027 in a grand manner, while also striving to bring more major exhibitions for the benefit of our stakeholders in India.”
K.K. Singh, Director of Water Resources at the Central Board of Irrigation and Power, briefed the audience on the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD), a non-governmental organization that facilitates knowledge exchange in dam engineering and sets safety and sustainability standards. The Indian National Committee on Large Dams (INCOLD) represents India and collaborates with ICOLD to share developments in dam engineering and showcase India's expertise.
Singh expressed confidence that the 92nd ICOLD Annual Meeting & Symposium held in India served as an excellent platform for policymakers, researchers, engineers, and industry stakeholders in energy and water resource management. He commended the organizing teams for their tireless efforts to ensure a warm welcome for delegates from around the world. He opined that the discussions during the five-day event would foster groundbreaking partnerships and innovative solutions for both India and the global community.
The event also featured the release of two books: Dam Development in India: From Ancient to Modern Times and A Pictorial Display of Dams in India, which showcase India's rich heritage and achievements in dam construction. These books cover dam construction and related activities during various periods—ancient, medieval, colonial, post-independence, and modern—highlighting India’s status as a leading nation in dam construction.
ICOLD serves as a vital platform for knowledge exchange, facilitating dialogue on global challenges and opportunities in dam engineering and water resources management. India holds a prominent position as a longstanding member of ICOLD, with an impressive track record of over 6,300 dams, including approximately 411 currently under construction.
India's engineers are at the forefront of Global Dam Engineering. The discussions and collaborations established at ICOLD 2024 will play a vital role in shaping the future of dam engineering and water management. Attendees were encouraged to continue the dialogue and explore innovative solutions for the challenges ahead.
