BHUBANESWAR: Even as the low pressure-induced rains continue to lash the State for more than a week now, there has been no significant improvement in the live storage in major reservoirs except Hirakud dam.The live storage available in Rengali dam is only 11.8 per cent of the capacity. The dam at a full reservoir level of 123.5 mtr has the capacity to store 3,413 million cubic mtr (Mcum) of water. The current water level is 112.2 mtr with live storage of 401 Mcum. The water level on this day last year was 119.98 mtr despite being a low hydro year.
The multipurpose project has a powerhouse at the dam foot with installed capacity of 250 MW, 5 units of 50 MW each. The average power generation from the hydrostation on August 12 was 29 MW only 12 per cent of the full capacity.The live storage in Balimela dam is 23.3 per cent of the full storage capacity of 2,676 Mcum. The full reservoir level (FRL) of Balimela is 1,516 feet but the water level in the dam is at 1,466 ft.
With an installed capacity of 510 MW, the average power generation from Balimela hydro power station is only 100MW. Similar is the situation in Upper Kolab, where only 27 per cent of water is available against full storage capacity of 935 Mcum. The present water level in the dam is 850 mtr against full reservoir level of 858 mtr.The hydropower stations at Upper Kolab have a generating capacity of 320 MW. The average generation is only 32.66 MW.
The live storage in Indravati dam is still 47.6 per cent (706 Mcum) of its full capacity of 1,485 Mcum. Indravati hydro power station with a generating capacity of 600 MW is the major supplier of cheapest power to the State. The current water level in the dam is nearly 8 mtr below the FRL of 642 mtr.
The water level in Machkund reservoir is precarious as the live storage is only 20 per cent of the total capacity. As the water level is still 40 ft below the full reservoir level of 2,750 ft, the only hope is on the next spell of rains predicted by the IMD.“The State cannot afford another hydro failure like last year in view of the increasing demand of power especially during summer months,” said a senior OHPC officer.
