Shimla News
Increasing silt level in Himachal Pradesh threatens power generation
10% generation drop due to siltation at Karcham Wangtoo project; Ghanavi and Larji power projects halted due to adverse weather conditions; power supply to Punjab and Delhi unaffected despite local generation issues.
Diary Times News Service
Shimla, August 5: The rising silt levels in Himachal Pradesh’s rivers have started hampering the state’s power generation, particularly affecting the Satluj river. On Sunday, the Karcham Wangtoo project witnessed a significant drop of about 10 per cent, leading to a 200 MW reduction in generation. The project, which normally generates 1200 MW, was able to generate only 1000 MW due to increased silt in the river.
While most power projects under the power board are maintaining full generation, two major projects, Ghanavi and Larji, have been forced to shut down operations. A cloudburst near Ghanavi has caused extensive damage, halting operations on both its stages. In addition, the only operational unit at Larji has been shut down due to severe waterlogging. Despite these disruptions, the power board’s projects are still generating around 80 lakh units of power.
The state’s total power supply, which is derived from both government and private projects, is normally around 500 lakh units. Though there has been a slight decrease in generation, this reduction has not affected the power being supplied to Punjab through the banking system. Continuous supply to both Punjab and Delhi remains stable and unaffected.
Experts have warned that further heavy rains could further aggravate the siltation problem, especially in the Satluj river. The Nathpa Jhakri and Rampur projects, crucial for supplying power to North India, are already facing bottlenecks due to increased siltation. If the siltation level continues to rise, power generation across the state could see a further drop.
The weather department has issued a yellow alert for the upcoming days, forecasting possible heavy rains. If these forecasts prove true, the challenges posed by rising siltation in the rivers could get even worse, potentially leading to an even greater drop in power generation and widespread impact on power supply.
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