Mysuru: Water level at the reservoirs in Linganamakki, Supa and Mani are much lower this year due to less rainfall in the Western Ghats, which has affected the generation of hydroelectric power.
With weather forecasts predicting normal rainfall this year, it should rain in the next 45 days failing which the deficit in hydro-electric power will have to be met by thermal and gas power plants, said Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) MD Kumar Naik. He said that in all the three reservoirs, 80 percent of the inflows are received in June, July and August. But the inflow in Linganamakki, Supa and Mani this year has been only 60.887 TMC this year while last year, it was 69.122 TMC.
In 1994 when the state had witnessed a bountiful monsoon, all three reservoirs had received as much as 214.089 TMC inflow. While 3401 mega units of electricity was generated in the previous year, this year, only 2,927 mega units have been produced, Mr Kumar Naik said.
Electricity consumption per day too has increased over the past five years. While it was 159 mega units in 2013-14, it was 165 mega units in 2014-15 and 179 mega units in 2015-16. India has the capacity to manufacture 303018.84 mega watt of power per annum while the state generates 6603.05 mega watts including 6523.005 mega watts from 30 powerhouses of KPCL. Karnataka needs 17,413.90 megawatt electricity, it borrows 3152.86 from the Centre and 7716.69 megawatts from private sources.
KPCL is involved in work at unit 3 of Bellary Power Station, unit 1 and 2 of Yermaras thermal power station, unit 4 of Munirabad thermal power house and Yelahanka combined cycle power plant which can generate 2680 mega units of electricity. It has proposed a combined cycle power plant, Godhna thermal power station in Chattisgarh, Edlapur thermal power station in Raichur, and Ghataprabha dam power house which can generate 3120 mega units of electricity.
Also Shivanasamudra seasonal scheme, Gundia hydro-electric project, Bidadi cycle power plant-stage 2, Tadadi cycle power plant and Gulbarga thermal power project which can manufacture 5000 mega units, are in the pipeline. Hence, the state would be energy sufficient in the next five years, he said.
