Date:04/07/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/04/stories/2009070460610600.htm

Karnataka

Inflow to Linganamakki increases to 30,622 cusecs

B.S. Satish Kumar

BANGALORE: For the first time since the onset of monsoon this year, the Linganamakki reservoir saw huge inflow on Friday.

The inflow to this major reservoir, that has seen declining water levels causing anxiety in the State’s power sector, increased dramatically to 30,622 cusecs on Friday from the previous day’s level of 7,737 cusecs following heavy rainfall in the Western Ghats. According to a senior official in the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited, the water level in Linganamakki dam has increased by nearly 6 ft in two days.

The inflow to the other two major hydel reservoirs of Supa and Mani too increased on Friday.

While inflow to the Supa dam increased from 1,066 cusecs to 4,005 cusecs on Friday, that of Mani increased from 300 cusecs to 1,251 cusecs.

The KPCL official said the catchment areas of Linganamakki dam received rainfall to the extent of 180 mm on Friday, while the downpour in Supa and Mani catchment areas were 19 mm and 96 mm respectively.

According to the weather department, Gerusoppa, which is one of the catchment areas, received 290 mm of rainfall.

In terms of energy generation, the increase in the storage level in the three hydel reservoirs in the last two days alone has accounted for the subsequent increase in the capacity to generate 146 million units of hydel power.

It is difficult to quantify the economic worth of rains. But in terms of power generation alone, the inflows into the three major hydel reservoirs in the last two days may account for Rs. 146 crore to Rs. 175 crore as the State would have to shell out a whopping Rs. 12 a unit if it wanted to buy additional power from other States when the entire country is witnessing severe power shortage.

The total hydel storage from all the three major reservoirs in terms of the capacity to generate power is about 959 MUs on Friday as against 1,710 MUs on the corresponding day last year.

These three hydel reservoirs account for about 95 per cent of the State’s hydel storage. Despite the good inflows, the present storage in all the three hydel reservoirs has not crossed 15 per cent of the total capacity.