Power generation on at Thenmala
Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 3:45 pm
Power generation on at Thenmala
Ignatius Pereira,THE HINDU, 22/7/2013
Power generation from the 15 MW Thenmala hydel power station, which had been shut down from the first week of May, resumed full production by Sunday evening. The power station has two turbines of 7.5 MW each and both had developed technical problems.
Member of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) (distribution and generation) Muhammed Ali Rawther told The Hindu that while one of the turbines resumed generation by Saturday evening, the problems of the second generator were fixed by Sunday afternoon and resumed production in the evening.
For the past couple of months, one of the turbines could not be operated due to technical snag.
The second turbine, which had been running, was shut down in May when the water level in the dam fell to a low that lacked the strength to drive it.
Repair works of both could not be carried out during the shut down period because of paucity of water in the dam, which is needed for trial runs as the repair work progresses. Mr. Rawhter said that the turbine which resumed production on Sunday required some major repair work. Both have now been completely renovated.
The station being kept shut down in spite of the good water level in the dam had triggered criticism against the KSEB. Mr. Rawther said the KSEB had taken up the repair work on a war footing.
Meanwhile, official sources connected with the dam said that water level in the dam had not progressed to a level warranting a warning that the shutters could be opened any day. Sources said that it was on the basis of misinformation on water level that the district administration had last week issued an alert that the shutters of the dam would be opened any time.
The dam has a storage level of 116.5 metres and the alert was issued on July 16 when the level reached 110.45 metres
Sources said that given the present inflow rate and with power generation resuming at Thenmala, the dam could reach dangerous level only during the northeast monsoon.
Ignatius Pereira,THE HINDU, 22/7/2013
Power generation from the 15 MW Thenmala hydel power station, which had been shut down from the first week of May, resumed full production by Sunday evening. The power station has two turbines of 7.5 MW each and both had developed technical problems.
Member of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) (distribution and generation) Muhammed Ali Rawther told The Hindu that while one of the turbines resumed generation by Saturday evening, the problems of the second generator were fixed by Sunday afternoon and resumed production in the evening.
For the past couple of months, one of the turbines could not be operated due to technical snag.
The second turbine, which had been running, was shut down in May when the water level in the dam fell to a low that lacked the strength to drive it.
Repair works of both could not be carried out during the shut down period because of paucity of water in the dam, which is needed for trial runs as the repair work progresses. Mr. Rawhter said that the turbine which resumed production on Sunday required some major repair work. Both have now been completely renovated.
The station being kept shut down in spite of the good water level in the dam had triggered criticism against the KSEB. Mr. Rawther said the KSEB had taken up the repair work on a war footing.
Meanwhile, official sources connected with the dam said that water level in the dam had not progressed to a level warranting a warning that the shutters could be opened any day. Sources said that it was on the basis of misinformation on water level that the district administration had last week issued an alert that the shutters of the dam would be opened any time.
The dam has a storage level of 116.5 metres and the alert was issued on July 16 when the level reached 110.45 metres
Sources said that given the present inflow rate and with power generation resuming at Thenmala, the dam could reach dangerous level only during the northeast monsoon.