We report here an ab initio investigation of the cluster effect (i.e., the formation of four-member groups of nearly degenerate rotation-vibration energy levels at higher J and K a values) in the H 2 Te molecule. The potential energy function has been calculated ab initio at a total of 334 molecular geometries by means of the CCSD(T) method where the (1s-4f) core electrons of the Te atom were described by an effective core potential. The values of the potential energy function obtained cover the region up to around 10 000 cm - 1 above the equilibrium energy. On the basis of the ab initio potential, the rotation-vibration energy spectra of H 2 1 3 0 Te and its deuterated isotopomers have been calculated with the MORBID (Morse oscillator rigid bender internal dynamics) Hamiltonian and computer program. In particular, we have calculated the rotational energy manifolds forJ 40 in the vibrational ground state, the ν 2 state, the first triad (the ν 1 /ν 3 /2 ν 2 interacting vibrational states), and the second triad (the (ν 1 + ν 2 )/(ν 2 + ν 3 )/3 ν 2 states) of H 2 1 3 0 Te. We have also investigated the cluster formation in the vibrational ground state of H 2 1 3 0 Te by first fitting the rotational data available from experiment with a modified Watson-type effective Hamiltonian and then using the optimized ground state constants to extrapolate the rotational structure to higher J values. Both the ab initio calculation and the prediction with the effective Hamiltonian show that the cluster formation in H 2 Te is very similar to that in H 2 Se and H 2 S, which we have studied previously. However, contrary to semiclassical predictions, we do not determine any significant displacement of the clusters towards lower J values relative to H 2 Se. Hence the experimental observation of the cluster states in H 2 Te will be at least as difficult as in H 2 Se.