Improved water level in reservoirs boosts hydro power generation in Odisha
BHUBANESWAR: The excessive rainfall across the State in July and August has boosted the water level in major reservoirs supplementing hydropower generation.
Live storage available in six reservoirs having hydropower stations with an installed capacity to generate 2,090.8 mega-watts (MW) of power has vastly improved as compared to last year.
In view of the good hydro position in the reservoirs, the Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) is generating 1,200 to 1,300 MW which is about one-fifth of the daily electricity demand of the State. Indravati hydropower station with a generating capacity of 600 MW is the major contributor of cheapest power to the State with an average generation of 550 MW.
The live storage in Indravati dam on Wednesday was 84.7 per cent of the full reservoir level while it was 30.7 per cent this day last year. The water level in the dam stood at 640.52 metres against the full reservoir level (FRL) of 642 metres. The water level was at 631.52 metres on this day last year.
On the other hand, the live storage available in the Rengali dam is only 11.8 per cent of the capacity in August. The current water level is 112.83 metres with live storage of 83.3 per cent of its full capacity. The multipurpose project has a powerhouse at the dam foot with an installed capacity of 250 MW. The average power generation from the hydro-station in August was about 30 MW and now it has peaked at 200 MW.
Similar is the case of the Balimela dam, where the live storage has increased by four per cent from 26.5 per cent in 2021 to 30.9 per cent. The full reservoir level (FRL) of Balimela is 1,516 ft and the water level in the dam is 1,472.8 ft. With an installed capacity of 510 MW, the average power generation from the Balimela hydropower station was only 100MW in August. The average generation on Saturday was 126 MW.
In the Upper Kolab dam, the water level is 852.92 metres against 548.48metres this day last year. The full reservoir level of the dam is 858 metres. The hydropower stations at Upper Kolab have a generating capacity of 320 MW and the average generation is about 55 MW.