Power generation up as state rivers in spate

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 23

A sudden three-fold unprecedented surge in the inflow of water in the Satluj, Beas and Ravi and their tributaries has come as a windfall for power generation in Himachal. The power houses are generating about three to five times more electricity this month as compared to last year.

An inflow of water in the Satluj recorded at SJVN-run Nathpa Jhakhri power station in Kinnaur surged to 395 cumecs, which is almost three times more than 135 cumecs recorded on April 20, 2016. The water inflow in Satluj in April averages round 150 cumecs to 130 cumecs in April for the past many years and this time it is unprecedented, reveal power engineers.

The surge in river flow has come as windfall not only for SJVN, but for all other private and public sector power producers. SJVN has surpassed the targets of generating 36 million units of energy daily at its 1500 MW NJPC power house, which almost three times more than its target of 12 million units.

SJVN- run 412 MW Rampur project downstream of the Satluj has witnessed the same increase in power generation. Rampur is producing 10.22 million units daily, which is almost five time its target of about 2 million units, revealed SJVNL sources.

1000 MW Karchan Wangtoo and 300 MW Baspa power house are running at peak capacity which is unusual this month of the river, reveal power officials.

Himachal needs about 265 lakh units daily these days, but HPSEBl-run power projects, which have an installed capacity of 475 MW, are producing 273 lakh units daily. “The demand from industry has also increased by five per cent today, but we have enough power and banking of power with the other states has started,” said PC Negi, HPSRBL Managing Director.

Himachal’s free power share from different hydropower projects has also witnessed an unprecedented three times increase in this share in April as compared to last year. “Himachal got 15.6 million units as free power as on today which was just 5 million units on the same day in 2016,” says chief engineer in the directorate of energy.

Even Himachal is selling its surplus energy in the energy exchange at a higher rate of Rs 2.76 per unit which was Rs 2.16 per unit last year, engineers reveal. The inflow in rivers has increased due to a sudden rise of five to three degree centigrade in temperature that sped up melting of glaciers in Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Kullu and Chamba districts, they add.

Similarly, 800 MW Kol Dam on Satluj, 520 MW Parbati-III on Parbati in Kullu and 990 MW Dehar on the Beas river in Mandi , Chamera-I, II and III in Chamba on the river Ravi, also reported a surge in power generation. This power generation is unusually higher in April, say officials at the energy directorate. The inflow in the Ravi and Beas rivers is also three times higher than that of the past inflow, they reveal.