The State power sector is worried as acute water shortage has affected power generation at the Ballari Thermal Power Station (BTPS).
Only one generating unit of the total three in BTPS are presently able to operate. With this, the power generation has dwindled to a mere 500 MW as against the station’s capacity of 1,700 MW.
The only solace is that of the two generating units, which have stopped working, one is expected to resume generation as water has now been allocated from the Low Level Canal (LLC) of the Tungabhadra reservoir.
“The BTPS has been allocated around 60 cusecs of water, which would be released till April through the LLC. The work on laying pipeline and installation of pumps to facilitate the release of additional water has been completed. The first instalment of water is likely to be released from January 15,” Mrutyunjaya, Executive Director, BTPS, told The Hindu .
He said that drawal of water from LLC canal would enable BTPS to increase its power generation by operating two units at a time.
“The water available in the impounding reservoir, within the plant premises, will last for 80 days if only one unit is operated. The number of operating days will reduce to 40 if two units are operated and 25 days if all three units are operated. The additional water allocated now will help run two units without utilising the water in the reservoir through the summer months,” he said.
