Nathpa exceeds targets by 94.5 MUs

Shimla, July 14 (UNI) The 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri hydel power project had already produced 94.5 million units (MUs) excess power between April 1 and July 13 this year, providing relief to the northern grid states, an official spokesman today said.

During April 1 to July 13, the plant generated 2,745 MUs electricity, which exceeds the targets of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Power Ministry by 94.5 MUs, he told UNI here.

The spokesman said that five units out six of 250 MW each were functioning normally, while the sixth unit, which had not yet been synchronised, was likely to start generation soon.

He said, however, the plant had a shortfall of 88 MUs between July a and 13, as it generated only 331 MUs of electricity as against a target of 419 MUs.

The shortfall was because of the plant remaining closed for 12 hours on July 7 and July 8 during which it generated only 38 MUs, against 36 MUs a day during the peak season, he said.

He said the plant remained closed for almost two days on July 9 and 10 after the slit level reached 14,000 ppm, against a permissible limit of 4,000 ppm due to flash floods in Satluj River and its tributaries.

The power generation began only at 2355 hrs on July 10 after the silt level fell to 1,400 ppm but was stopped the next day for almost 12 hrs before starting functioning at about 1000 hrs on July 12, he said.

The spokesman said during this period it generated only 45 MUs of electricity, against a target of 108 MUs and added this was normal as the MoU provided for the closure of plant for 11 days due to high silt content during the period.

The closure of the run-of-the-river power plants due to excessive silt load was a common phenomena the world over and there was nothing to worry, he said.

UNI AS SBA ND1832