All the major hydro power generation projects are operating at almost full capacity, thanks to the substantial inflows into the Godavari and Krishna rivers, the Krishna basin in particular.
The AP Power Generation Corporation has registered a record 339.27 million units generated during July this year, more than double that of 156.56 mu during the same month previous year. According to senior officials, the total hydel generation on Tuesday was 59.93 mu as against 3.96 mu on the same day last year.
Buoyed by the significant inflows, the power utilities are eyeing generation to cross 6,755 mu through hydro projects this year.
The two major projects -- Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar -- received inflows to the tune of 3.81 lakh cusecs and 2.92 lakh cusecs respectively on Wednesday.
As a result, power was being generated at the optimum level from the two projects after a gap of more than four years.
The Srisailam hydel station reported 1,460 MW generation from the left and right canal projects with water level reaching 883.8 ft against the full reservoir level of 885 ft. All the crest gates at Srisailam and 18 gates at Nagarjunasagar had been lifted for flood management with the level at Nagarjunasagar reaching 585.4 ft (full reservoir level 590 ft) allowing generation of 750 MW. Energy Department Special Chief Secretary M. Sahoo, who is also chairman of the Genco, reviewed the situation with senior officials, including AP Transco CMD Suresh Chanda. He expressed happiness that the major hydel generation plants were operating in full swing after a long gap.
The State government was contemplating achieving additional hydel generation capacity of 410 MW by the end of the next financial year.
Accordingly, the 80 MW first unit of the Lower Jurala project was expected to be commissioned within a couple of months and the second and third units of equal capacity were likely to go on stream by July next.
This is in addition to the 50 MW unit at the Nagarjunasagar tail pond and another 120 MW through Pulichintala that were scheduled for completion by the end of financial year 2014-15. Mr. Sahoo directed the officials concerned to step up efforts to fully utilise the cheaper power from the hydel stations and ensure uninterrupted supply to all sections of consumers.