Lack of rainfall may hit hydroelectricity generation

With deficit rainfall in the Cauvery river basin, water level in the Harangi reservoir has not reached its full capacity. As a result, the hydroelectricity unit installed by the Energy Development Company Limited (EDCL) may suffer a setback in achieving the proposed electricity production target.

The maximum storage capacity of the reservoir is 2,859 feet. The water level on Saturday stood at 2,836.75 feet. There is 3.86 tmcft of water in the reservoir. The inflow of water to the reservoir is 1,288 cusecs. Last year, the reservoir had 2,857.30 feet during the corresponding period and the inflow was 3,020 cusecs.

The EDCL power unit depends on water from the left canal of the reservoir. “Water from the reservoir can be let to flow through canals only after the storage reaches 8 tmcft,” assistant engineer Nagaraju said and added that this year water cannot be let through canals because there is only 3.8 TMC ft water in the reservoir.

The target is to generate 30,000 million unit electricity. With deficit rainfall, the generation of electricity is not likely to reach the target, sources said. 

The unit generates electricity for five months up to the middle of December every year. The shortage of rainfall in June has hit the target this year, manager Shivasubramani said.