BENGALURU: Ever since the cabinet gave its nod to Abu Dhabi-based businessman B R Shetty to convert the seasonal Jog Falls into a perennial one, power experts, among others, have rejected the idea, claiming that the project is neither technically nor environmentally feasible. In fact, they assert that it will be a big revenue loss to the government if implemented by a private company and will go the NICE way.
As per the proposed scheme, using a reverse pumping mechanism, 200 cusecs of water will be lifted by constructing a check dam the upstream of the Mahatma Gandhi Hydroelectric Works and discharged at Seetha Katte bridge. The private investor can collect fees from visitors after the rates are ratified by the Jog Management Authority.
But engineering experts and many in the Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd point out to drawbacks in the plan and state that there is no need to call in a private company to restore Jog’s glory in the dry months when the expertise is available in the government itself.
“Why should the government allow a private party to collect entry fee from visitors, incurring huge losses?” they question.
B Lakshman Rao, former executive director of Raichur Thermal Power Station, with four decades of experience in both hydel and thermal power projects, says, “It will be just a trickle. In the first place, lifting 200 cusecs of water is not sufficient to bring back the pristine glory of Jog Falls. We need 1,000 cusecs to restore its glory.”
Well-known power expert S Govindappa, former technical member, Karnataka Electricity Board, says the project is wholly unviable. “It’s an uneconomical project. Just 200 cusecs cannot bring back Jog’s glory. Further, there will be total loss of power. It is better to release water from a dam that can be constructed upstream wherein water is released once or twice to the Falls.”
Alternative solution
According to Rao, an alternative solution which would not cost much can be worked ou by the KPCL itself. “They should allow 1,200 cusecs of water to flow naturally from Linganmakki Dam to Jog Falls. Further, the capacity can be enhanced by diversion of water from Savehaklu and Chakra dams,” he says.
By releasing 1,200 cusecs of water every day for 8 months from 9 am to 9 pm, the consumption of water will be only 26.16 tmcft. “No power is needed as water flows automatically if the gates are opened in the dam,” he avers.
But since there will be a loss of 100 MW of power if 1,200 cusecs is released to the Falls, it can be met from other sources. With the release of these waters, it will generate 20 MW of power from Ambu Theertha Power House which is downstream of MG Hydroelectric Works.”
The same quantity of water and other tributary streams is sufficient to generate another 40 MW of power from Gerusoppa power house.
Hence, the loss of 100 MW of one unit at Sharavathi generating station will not affect the main grid as all generating units run at 49 Hz frequency with demand being more than generation,” he says.
In money terms, loss will be to the tune of Rs 25,000 to the KPCL (the selling price of Sharavathi generating station power is 25 paisa per unit).