Odisha’s hydropower generation hit due to delayed monsoon

With the delay in monsoon arrival and water level in all reservoirs low, regulated release by the Water Resources department has hit the hydropower generation in the State. The average generation of power from the six hydro generating stations of the State has come down to 182 MW against an installed capacity of 2,099.5 MW.

According to the official reports, the five units of the Rengali hydropower station with a generating capacity of 250 MW (5 x 50MW) were kept idle on Friday in view of the dipping water level in the dam. The live storage capacity of the Rengali dam is 109.93 meters against the full reservoir level (FRL) of 123.5 meters. The water level in the Rengali dam on this day last year was 112.83 mt. The minimum draw-down level (MDDL), the level below which the water will not be drawn so as to maintain a minimum head required in power projects, is 109.72 meters. The live storage of the dam is only one percent of the FRL.

Further, the report stated that the water level in the Rengali dam is at a critical stage and water from the reservoir is released only for irrigation and drinking water purpose. The live storage level in Hirakud dam (FRL 630 ft) on Sunday was only 13 percent of the FRL. The current water level is 599.93 ft which is 9.93 ft above the MDDL of 590 ft. The water level on this day last year was 601.25 ft.

The average generation from Hirakud hydropower station on Saturday was 4.37 MW against its generating capacity of 287.5 MW.  Similarly, the hydel power generation from Upper Indravati with an installed capacity of 600 MW was only 17.39 MW because of the low water level in the reservoir. The Indravati dam has an FRL of 642 meters but the live storage is at 629.3 meters.

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