THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The unexpected leak on penstock-III of the 780-MW Moolamattam Power Project has thrown the state power sector into disequilibrium. All of a sudden, meeting daily peak demand has become virtually impossible. KSEBL sources said that the state would have to brace itself for voltage dips and random power outages, at least for two weeks till the three shut generators in Moolamattam become functional.
Consequent to the weak monsoon, KSEBL had been keeping hydel generation to the barest minimum for nearly two months to conserve water for the coming summer. Still, the public utility had just about managed to secure enough power to meet the state's daily demand by striking opportunistic short-term and long-term needs. Now, with the detection of leak, the balance has been disturbed.
Just before the leak was detected, 2500-odd MW of the state's daily power demand of 3350 MW was met from outside sources, mostly central generating stations, power exchanges and traders. Only the remaining, 850-900 MW, was met from the state's hydel stations. The shut down has now taken 400 MW out of the equation. "We cannot import more power as our transmission network is already running full capacity, it cannot take additional load" a top KSEBL source said.
"Even if we want to invite bids for 150-200 MW from outside, we will first have to construct an additional transformer at the Areekode substation (Kozhikode) to facilitate the import. This will take at least two months," the source said. A new transformer is the only way out as the completion of the Edamon-Kochi stretch of the Thirunelveli-Kochi-Madakkathara 400 kv line by March next year has been ruled out.
(The Edamon-Kochi stretch is required to evacuate the state's share from Kudankulam plant.) The only option left, therefore, is to step up hydel production as much as we can during peak hours. "Even then it will not be enough causing voltage dips in certain areas, and necessitating unofficial loadshedding at times" the source said. There is also the additional danger of the already dried-up reservoirs depleting further.
