: Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) engineers inspected the surge tank of the Chenkulam power house after water leakage was reported on Thursday.
The surge tank is connected to the penstock of the Chenkulam power house at Vellathooval. There were a number of small leakages at various places in addition to a high volume leakage at the 64-year-old tank.
Lack of repair
It was alleged that lack of timely repairs resulted in leakages at various places of the tank. Senior engineers inspected the surge tank on Thursday.
To generate power at the Chenkulam power house, an underground channel from the Chenkulam dam carries water to the surge tank. It includes a safety valve to control water pressure while water is being carried via the penstock. A senior KSEB official told The Hindu that it was not a major leakage and the engineers were examining it. He said the main leakage could be rectified using modern technology.
Penstock pipe safe
He said the surge tank had an open mouth and had no pressure to create high volume of water leakage. There were no leakage to the penstock pipes, which were resistant to high pressure, he added.
The official said the water level in the surge tank was in proportion to the water level in the dam. It had been designed to have zero pressure and the seepage of water did not raise any threat.
