Andhra Pradesh: Power Generation For AP Likely To Start From Nagarjuna Sagar RMC Power House

First, the water level in the dam has to rise from the present 532 feet to 535, to start the generation. The reservoir has a gross capacity at FRL of 312.05 tmc-ft against the current storage of 171.48 tmc-ft (54.95 per cent) with an inflow of nearly 55,278 cusecs.

The upstream Srisailam project with its gross capacity at an FRL of 215.81 tmc-ft has current storage of 167.48 tmc-ft (77.61 per cent) with an inflow of 82,368 cusecs and outflow of 48,765 cusecs.

With nearly 48,765 causes of water getting released downstream, the next project of Nagarjuna Sagar is likely to receive the water and its water level is expected to rise in the next few days.

Once the level reaches the required 535 feet in the Nagarjuna Sagar project to generate power, some other conditions are to be fulfilled.

With the El Niño effect, the water resources department is contemplating to use the water only for drinking water purposes. A decision could be taken later to release the water for cultivation purpose, subject to availability of water in the next few days.

In such a scenario, the head regulator gates of the project will be opened to release water into the Right Main Canal only, so as to meet the drinking water needs of people living in four districts--Guntur, Palnadu, Bapatla and Prakasam.

It requires 5,000 cusecs of water to generate one unit of hydroelectric power. A senior official from APGenco said, “We are expecting the water level to rise to the required 535 feet in two to three days. We are getting water from the upstream Srisailam project. However, this is conditional to the El Niño effect. The government will take a decision on power generation based on viability and requirement.”