: Power generation was disrupted at the Moozhiyar power house of the 340-MW Sabarigiri hydroelectric project on Monday following the detection of leakage in Penstock-II.
Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) sources at Moozhiyar told The Hindu that the leak was detected in the upper portion of the butterfly valve of Penstock-II, which was replaced in July 2013.
Though the leakage was a minor one, it would take at least three days to complete the repair work as it involved draining out the water in the penstock and filling it, sources said.
The power house was shut down at 8 a.m. on Monday to facilitate repair work.
Power generation at the Moozhiyar power house on Sunday was 6.232 million units (mu). The State’s total power consumption on Sunday was 61.13 mu. Of this, 32.6 mu was received from the Central pool, besides a power purchase of 4.2 mu, official sources said.
The total storage position at various KSEB reservoirs in the State as on Monday morning was enough to generate 1,611.92 mu. Official sources said restrictions on power supply due to the Sabarigiri power house shutdown were averted on Monday as the BSES had agreed to supply 158 MW to the KSEB. But restrictions are likely during peak hours in the next three days if the State failed to get additional power from outside, sources said. The replacement of the butterfly valve was carried out by the Coimbatore-based Sree Saravana Industries Ltd at a cost of Rs.2 crore in July 2013. Experts attached to the company are expected to reach Moozhiyar on Monday evening to carry out the repair work.
The shutting down of Moozhiyar power house will affect the functioning of the 50-MW Kakkad hydel power project in the downstream reaches at Seethathode as it runs with the tailrace of the Sabarigiri project, sources said.
Leakage detected in Penstock-II of Moozhiyar powerhouse
