1450 MW Narmada power project ready to start generation

Vadodara, Aug 12 (UNI) The 1450 MW Narmada Dam Hydropower project is all set to start generation of power from all its eleven units with the water level in the dam at Kevadia Colony crossing the required 118 metre mark, following heavy rains in its catchment areas during the last couple of days.

The water level in the dam which touched 118 metres last night, reached a level of 119.10 metres at 1400 hours today, as against the present overflowing level of 121.92 metres.

Talking to UNI today, Narmada project chief engineer K J Trivedi said, ''We are ready to start generation of power from all the eleven units of the River Bed Power Station (RBPS) and the Canal Head Power station (CHPS) set up at the Dam site after the Narmada Control Authority (NCA) gives its formal approval.'' Due to scanty rainfall in the catchment areas of the dam, the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) authorities had suspended generation of power from four of the five (50MW X 5) units of the CHPS some 10 days ago, and had decided to start generation only after the water level in the dam achieves 118 metre mark.

Official sources said the water level in the reservoir, which had risen by more than 1.5 metres during the last 24 hours to 119.10 metres, was likely to reach its crest level of 121.92 metres in the next couple of days because of the present weather condition.

The chief engineer said, ''We have informed the Narmada Control Authority as well as the Headquarters of the Wester Region Power Grid, and eagerly waiting for NCA's green signal to go ahead with power generation from both the power houses.

However, the generation of Hydropower from FBPS's six units of 200 MW each and CHPs's five units of 50 MW each would much depend on quantum of water available in the reservoir.'' MORE UNI SS SR RP PM1824