The Ballari Thermal Power Station (BTPS), at Kuditini near Ballari, with the capacity to generate around 1,700 megwatts of power, is facing a severe water crisis. Thanks to the failure of rain this year.
The limited water impounded in the reservoir (around 0.21 tmcft, out of its full capacity of 0.51 tmcft) will last for the next 35 days to generate power from all three units.
If only two units function the water will last for around 70 days and if only one unit is run then it will last for 135 days.
BTPS’ main source of water is from Maralihalla in Gangavati taluk, where the regenerated water is being pumped.
BTPS managed with the same source after the second 500-MW plant was commissioned.
For the third unit with a capacity of 700 MW, which was commissioned on September 16, the government allocated around 2.34 tmcft of water from the Narayanpur dam and a detailed project report and other procedures were under way.
Meanwhile, the water requirement of the third unit is from the current souce.
This year, due to failure of rain, the augmentation of water in the Tungabhadra dam at Hosapete was low and was not sufficient for cultivating even the first (Kharif) crop.
As a result, the regeneration of water at Maralihalla was affected causing scarcity of water for BTPS and it was forced to shut down its third unit.
To ensure that the power production was not affected, the State government permitted the drawing of water from the high-level canal adjacent to BTPS.
As the canal was closed, BTPS could not augment adequate water. With no water in the dam and no sign of post-monsoon rain, power production at BTPS is likely to be severely affected.
Mrutyunjaya, BTPS Executive Director, told The Hindu that the situation facing BTPS was being seriously discussed at the government level to ease the situation.
There are possibilities of government permitting BTPS to draw water from the low level canal 35 km away to augment the water requirement.
“We are awaiting instructions from the government as for as running the number of units,” he added.