VIJAYAWADA: The multi-purpose Polavaram Irrigation Project achieved significant technical and construction milestones on Monday, with electro-mechanical assembly commencing at the 960 MW Hydel Power Station alongside strong independent validation of main dam works from the project’s Panel of Experts (PoE).
Marking a breakthrough at the powerhouse, A.P. GENCO and Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) formally initiated stator installation and rotor assembly for the first generating unit.
A high-level technical team led by A.P. GENCO (Hydel) Director Sujay Kumar, MEIL Chief Operating Officer Angara Satish Babu, General Manager Prasenjit Majumdar, and Chief Engineers Ravindra Reddy and Visweswara Rao inspected the site as civil, mechanical, and electrical crews began precision alignment at the Polavaram project site.
The station comprises 12 units of 80 MW each. The stator, housing the generator core and windings, acts as the central stationary component converting water turbine mechanical energy into electricity via the rotating magnetic field.
Precise alignment remains vital for efficiency and long-term grid integration. Highlighting the state government’s delivery schedule, Sujay Kumar stated that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed agencies to bring six units—generating 480 MW combined—to operational readiness before next year’s Pushkarams.
MEIL COO Angara Satish Babu added that civil, structural, and electrical tasks are proceeding simultaneously across multiple fronts to advance remaining setups in parallel.
Concurrently, the latest Panel of Experts (PoE) Report No. 7 provided an authoritative endorsement of the main dam’s engineering quality, confirming that construction practices and quality assurance standards meet design specifications.
The panel officially recorded that construction of the critical Diaphragm Wall (D-Wall) was completed on April 2, 2026.
Addressing past engineering concerns, experts noted that issues regarding concrete bleeding and bedrock embedment have been systematically resolved, with Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) test results demonstrating full compliance with material performance criteria.
A key highlight of the report is the technical validation of the GAP-II Earth-cum-Rockfill (ECRF) Dam design.
The PoE noted that updated plans rely on thorough geotechnical and permeability investigations, marking a substantial improvement over earlier design stages.
