Heavy flood into the Krishna Basin projects this water year, considered the best in recent past, has helped Telangana State Power Generation Corporation Ltd (TS-Genco) to generate a record 752 million units of low-cost energy in June and July helping the two power distribution companies (Discoms) reduce power purchases from private producers proportionately.
TS-Genco’s hydel generation was 160.9 MU in June and 591.1 MU in July and it was no where near the generation possible this year in the five previous years. “In tune with the State government policy to keep hydel generation at possible peak level to feed the demand from agriculture sector and by following the met forecast, we have started hydel generation early and the rain gods blessed our efforts by bringing in copious flood into projects,” a TS-Genco official unwilling to be quoted said.
He explained that hydel generation in June and July was 11 MU and 381.9 MU in 2020, 0 and 6.9 MU in 2019, 8.1 MU and 116.3 MU in 2018, 0 and 1.7 MU in 2017 and 9.45 MU and 61.63 MU in 2016, respectively.
It was possible as the arrival of flood into Jurala was nearly 377 tmc ft, it was 375 tmc ft in Srisailam and 154 tmc ft into Nagarjunasagar and 60.5 tmc ft into Pulichintala projects during the two months.
But for the COVID-induced delay in reviving the fourth unit of 6×150 MW Srisailam Left Hydro Electric Station, damaged in fire in August last year, the hydel generation by TS-Genco would have been much higher during the first two months of this water year.
“Andhra Pradesh was hell bent on stopping hydel generation being done by Telangana at Srisailam, Nagarjunasagar and Pulichintala alleging that it would end aollowing precious water flow waste into the sea.
“However, our decision to carry on the lowest cost of power generation based on the forecasts of flood holds good now as over 43 tmc ft of water had to be let out towards sea as of August 1 after all projects in the basin attained full reservoir level and have become surplus,” the Genco engineer told The Hindu .
Dispute
Along with the lingering row over sharing Krishna water, the dispute over hydel generation too dates back to formation of Telangana State with the bifurcation of combined Andhra Pradesh.
In less than a month after the State formation, the Centre had transferred large chunks of Telangana land, seven mandals of the erstwhile Khammam district, to AP along with the 460 MW Lower Sileru hydro-electric project, where power generation is possible almost round the year, in spite of Telangana’s objections.
