Storage at the reservoirs of Sabarigiri, the State’s second largest hydroelectric project, has increased manifold in June when compared to the same period last year.The catchment areas of the Sabarigiri project have been receiving good rainfall for the past one month, leading to a handsome inflow to the Kakki-Anathode twin reservoirs and to the Pampa reservoir.
Mohammed Ali Rawther, member (Generation and Distribution) of the Kerala State Electricity Board, told The Hindu that on June 30 the storage at Sabarigiri reservoirs was enough to generate 378.86 million units of power, which is 41.36 per cent of the total power generation capacity of 916 mu. Mr. Rawther said the storage on July 1, 2012, was just 6.67 per cent of the total capacity, which would have generated only 60.57 mu.
The total inflow to the reservoirs on Sunday could generate 7.8 mu of power. However, KSEB regulated power generation at the Moozhiyar power house of the Sabarigiri project to 2.79 mu of power on Sunday to save hydel power for the lean period.
Mr. Rawther said KSEB reservoirs across the State received in June a total inflow that could generate 1,643 mu of power. The expected inflow was 740 mu. The combined power generating capacity of the State’s reservoirs is 4,140 mu.
Power generation at the Moozhiyar power house would be stopped for 30 days from July 7 to replace a butterfly valve of the penstock pipe-II at an estimated cost of Rs.1.75 crore.
