Copious inflows into Krishna and Godavari has boosted the reservoir levels along their course thereby helping in stepping up of hydel power generation from Srisailam and Jurala hydel power stations in Andhra Pradesh.

The Managing Director of AP Genco, Mr Vijayanand, told Business Line, “Genco is able to generate about 45 million units a day from hydel power stations in the State. Of the 3,826 MW of installed hydel power generation capacity, nearly 2,000 MW is under full utilisation. However, we are yet to take up generation from Nagarjunasagar hydel stations, as Prakasam barrage downstream is already full.”

“We will take a call on power generation from Nagarjunasagar too shortly. The good thing about hydel generation is that it has managed to add to power requirement but also helped us take up overhaul works at thermal power stations at Vijayawada, Kothagudam and other locations,” he said.

Monsoon activity

The heightened south west monsoon activity and widespread rains in Andhra Pradesh and upstream in Karnataka and Maharashtra have resulted in heavy inflows into all the major reservoirs of Andhra Pradesh over the past fortnight after an erratic monsoon resulting in excess rains in some parts and deficit in others.

While Rayalaseema and Andhra regions have received excess rainfall, Telangana received close to normal rainfall.

The Srisailam reservoir, with huge hydel power generation capacity, is close its full reservoir level of 885 feet.

If the inflows continue into Srisailam from Jurala and other projects, it will be forced to let of water downstream to Nagarjunasagar. By letting off water, the Srisailam hydel power projects will function at full capacity, thereby discharging more water and helping fill up Nagarjunasagar.

The State's average energy demand in the past week is about 225 million units.

Of this 45 MUs is now coming from hydel projects.

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