<p>The production of power in India is mainly from thermal, hydroelectricity (hydel), nuclear, wind and solar sources. Out of these, thermal generation tops the list with about 67% of total power generation followed by hydel, which is about 27 % and the remaining is generated from other sources.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Quite interestingly, India’s per capita power consumption was a meagre 13 units in 1947 with an installed capacity of around 1,350 MW which has now gone up to around 800 units with an installed capacity of around 2,50,000 MW with the annual generation of around 930 billion units in the last year. <br /><br />In Karnataka<br /><br />When it comes to Karnataka, the daily power consumption in summer goes above 200 million units in spite of load shedding. <br /><br />In fact, Kanataka presently has about 10,000 MW installed capacity which includes 6,500 MW owned by the state-run company ---- Karnataka Power Corporation (KPC) --- and around 2,600 MW owned by private sector and 860 MW from nuclear power owned by Nuclear Power Corporation which has to be shared with other states. <br /><br />In addition, Karnataka also gets its share from the Central grid. As the above installed capacity and central share is insufficient to meet the power demand, the government is taking action to implement many power projects, both in private and public sectors to make the state self-sufficient in power.<br /><br />The present main source of power in Karnataka is thermal and hydel, which are almost in equal proportions compared with the national ratio of 70:30. The state has one of the highest hydro potential in the country with an estimated power potential of around 7,000 MW. In this, only 50% has been tapped so far. Sharavathi, Kali, Varahi, Gerusoppa and the dam-based power plant of Upper Krishna Project are the major hydel plants of the state which are supplying power to the state grid.<br /><br />The power produced from major hydel projects is the cheapest source of power compared to all other sources and its maintenance coast is also low. But most of these projects come in the Western Ghats area and its execution involves submersion of thousands of acres of land, mainly forest land and displacement of huge population and also it effects the environment. <br /><br />The next cheapest source of power is thermal. There are three thermal power plants producing power in Karnataka, namely Raichur and Ballari plants of Karnataka Power Corporation and Udupi power plant (UPCL) belonging to private sector. One more thermal power plant is also going to be commissioned shortly near Raichur. Procurement of coal is the main problem since the state does not have any coal mines and hence it has to be obtained from other coal mining states through railways or it has to be imported from other countries through sea route and this reflects on the cost of power. The next source of power for Karnataka is mini hydel and windmills and out of this, mini hydel source is considered to be cheapest next to major hydel source. Hydel power plants of installed capacity less than 25 MW are called mini hydel plants. <br /><br />Potential<br /><br />The west flowing rivers, irrigation canal drops and hill streams are the potential source of mini hydel scheme in Karnataka. <br /><br />According to the Union government policy formulated in 1991, the state government has ordered allotment of many mini hydel projects to private sector developers. The government so far accorded permission to execute mini hydel projects and generate power in about 458 locations with their installed capacities aggregating to 2,654 MW. <br /><br />Private developers have so far commissioned some of the projects aggregating around 700 MW and many projects are under execution.<br /><br />Mini hydel source in DK <br /><br />Dakshina Kannada district has the highest source of mini hydel projects in the state aggregating to around 400 MW. <br />Already, 10 mini hydel power plants have been constructed across rivers Nethravathi, Kumaradhara and Gurupura aggregating to 130 MW in the district which generates around two million units daily during the monsoon. <br /><br />Another five more projects which have already got clearance from the government are also in the initial stage of implementation. The storage of water in the barrages built across the rivers of these projects helps to provide water for the irrigation pump sets of farmers and meets the drinking water needs of towns and city during summer when there is scarcity of water. Water stored in the reservoirs of the mini hydel scheme helps to increase the water table of the adjoining area and also offers good location for tourism.<br /><br />On the other hand, thermal power project is ruled out in the district because of thick population and scarcity of land and the environment problem of desposal of fly ash. Wind project is not viable as wind speed is low and difficult to get the large extent of land at reasonable cost to develop the wind project, the only alternate for the generation of power in the district is mini hydel projects.<br /><br />Sankappa Shetty K<br />(Former Director, Karnataka Power Corporation)</p>
<p>The production of power in India is mainly from thermal, hydroelectricity (hydel), nuclear, wind and solar sources. Out of these, thermal generation tops the list with about 67% of total power generation followed by hydel, which is about 27 % and the remaining is generated from other sources.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Quite interestingly, India’s per capita power consumption was a meagre 13 units in 1947 with an installed capacity of around 1,350 MW which has now gone up to around 800 units with an installed capacity of around 2,50,000 MW with the annual generation of around 930 billion units in the last year. <br /><br />In Karnataka<br /><br />When it comes to Karnataka, the daily power consumption in summer goes above 200 million units in spite of load shedding. <br /><br />In fact, Kanataka presently has about 10,000 MW installed capacity which includes 6,500 MW owned by the state-run company ---- Karnataka Power Corporation (KPC) --- and around 2,600 MW owned by private sector and 860 MW from nuclear power owned by Nuclear Power Corporation which has to be shared with other states. <br /><br />In addition, Karnataka also gets its share from the Central grid. As the above installed capacity and central share is insufficient to meet the power demand, the government is taking action to implement many power projects, both in private and public sectors to make the state self-sufficient in power.<br /><br />The present main source of power in Karnataka is thermal and hydel, which are almost in equal proportions compared with the national ratio of 70:30. The state has one of the highest hydro potential in the country with an estimated power potential of around 7,000 MW. In this, only 50% has been tapped so far. Sharavathi, Kali, Varahi, Gerusoppa and the dam-based power plant of Upper Krishna Project are the major hydel plants of the state which are supplying power to the state grid.<br /><br />The power produced from major hydel projects is the cheapest source of power compared to all other sources and its maintenance coast is also low. But most of these projects come in the Western Ghats area and its execution involves submersion of thousands of acres of land, mainly forest land and displacement of huge population and also it effects the environment. <br /><br />The next cheapest source of power is thermal. There are three thermal power plants producing power in Karnataka, namely Raichur and Ballari plants of Karnataka Power Corporation and Udupi power plant (UPCL) belonging to private sector. One more thermal power plant is also going to be commissioned shortly near Raichur. Procurement of coal is the main problem since the state does not have any coal mines and hence it has to be obtained from other coal mining states through railways or it has to be imported from other countries through sea route and this reflects on the cost of power. The next source of power for Karnataka is mini hydel and windmills and out of this, mini hydel source is considered to be cheapest next to major hydel source. Hydel power plants of installed capacity less than 25 MW are called mini hydel plants. <br /><br />Potential<br /><br />The west flowing rivers, irrigation canal drops and hill streams are the potential source of mini hydel scheme in Karnataka. <br /><br />According to the Union government policy formulated in 1991, the state government has ordered allotment of many mini hydel projects to private sector developers. The government so far accorded permission to execute mini hydel projects and generate power in about 458 locations with their installed capacities aggregating to 2,654 MW. <br /><br />Private developers have so far commissioned some of the projects aggregating around 700 MW and many projects are under execution.<br /><br />Mini hydel source in DK <br /><br />Dakshina Kannada district has the highest source of mini hydel projects in the state aggregating to around 400 MW. <br />Already, 10 mini hydel power plants have been constructed across rivers Nethravathi, Kumaradhara and Gurupura aggregating to 130 MW in the district which generates around two million units daily during the monsoon. <br /><br />Another five more projects which have already got clearance from the government are also in the initial stage of implementation. The storage of water in the barrages built across the rivers of these projects helps to provide water for the irrigation pump sets of farmers and meets the drinking water needs of towns and city during summer when there is scarcity of water. Water stored in the reservoirs of the mini hydel scheme helps to increase the water table of the adjoining area and also offers good location for tourism.<br /><br />On the other hand, thermal power project is ruled out in the district because of thick population and scarcity of land and the environment problem of desposal of fly ash. Wind project is not viable as wind speed is low and difficult to get the large extent of land at reasonable cost to develop the wind project, the only alternate for the generation of power in the district is mini hydel projects.<br /><br />Sankappa Shetty K<br />(Former Director, Karnataka Power Corporation)</p>
