Hyderabad: The massive inflow of water into the Srisailam reservoir has increased the prospects of the state government starting hydel power generation from the dam. Srisailam can generate 1,670 MW of ‘green’ electricity TS Genco has started generating 240 MW hydel power from Jurala.
At 8.30 pm on Monday night, Srisailam had 119 tmc ft of water, more than half its capacity of 215 tmc ft. The water stood at 864 feet against the full reservoir level of 885 feet. Officials expect to start generation from Tuesday.
The Krishna River Management Board has directed TS Genco to start generation from the dam in accordance with its requirements. Hydel generation does not pollute and is cheaper than thermal power generation.
TS Genco chairman and managing director Devulapally Prabhakar Rao said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had instructed that hydel power generation be started from Srisail-am and it would be done at any moment. He said that due to good inflows, the Srisailam dam was expected to be filled wit-hin the next few days.
Due to the rains, the power demand has reduced in the state. The power demand stood at 171.76 million units on August 1 which fell to 150.32 MUs on August 4. Hydel power generation had increased to 2,709 MU from 2,341 MU in the last four days from the nearly 10 Genco and private hydel projects such as Dummugudem, Kom-aram Bheem Saraswati
Officials said power generation from Srisai-lam was likely to start in a day or two. Once it happens it will be a matter of relief for Genco.
