Hydropower generation commences

Vadodara, Aug 13 (UNI) The Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) today commenced hydropower generation in three of the six (6x200MW) units of its 1200 MW capacity River Bed Power House (RBPH), set up at the multi-purpose Narmada Dam site in Kevadia Colony.

The three turbines were set in motion at 1800 hrs this evening soon after the SSNNL received the green signal from the Narmada Control Authority (NCA).

According to SSNNL sources, the three units, with an installed capacity of 200 MW each, would produce around 14 million units of hydel power per hour.

On August 1, the authorities had suspended generation of power from both the 1200 MW River Bed Power House (RBPH) and 250 MW Canal Head Power House (CHPH) after the water level in the Narmada reservoir reduced to 109 metres. Since then only one of the five (5x50MW) units of the CHPH plant was running to meet its internal demand, the sources said.

Two days back, SSNNL had approached the NCA for permission to resume power generation when the water level in Sardar Sarovar reservoir attained 118 metres as against its crest level of 121.92 metres following widespread rain in its catchment areas.

Considering the present water level of 119.82 metres in the dam and the average hourly inflow of 46500 cusecs, the Narmada Control Authority gave its green signal to the SSNNL today to start power generation from the EBPH project in a phased manner, the sources said.

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