KOYNA (SATARA), July 18: The Rs 1,140-crore Koyna Stage IV 1,000mw hydel power project will use Norwegian technology to tap the bottom of the 258 feet deep Shivaji lake for its intake structure. The final blast is likely to take place in December and commissioning trials of the turbines in the 250x4 hydel power plant are slated for January 1999. The 1,000mw Koyna Stage IV power plant will be fully commissioned by December 1999, Koyna Projects chief engineer SN Huddar said.The project, which is 30 months behind schedule, will allow the entire hydel power generation of 1,920 mw from the Koyna project (stage I to IV) to be used as a peaking station. Currently, only stage III at Kolkewadi, which generates 320 mw, is used as a peaking station while stages I and II (generating 560 mw) at the Koyna dam are used as base stations. The balance 40 mw is generated by a power house at the foot of the dam near Miraj.
Stage IV has attracted attention due to the novel attempt of tapping the bottom of the lake for thewater intake. This is the first time this is being attempted in the country. The option, Huddar said, was to wait for the 15-day period, from end-May to beginning of June, when the water level in the lake is at its lowest, allowing them to build the intake structures from above.
The World Bank-aided Koyna stage IV project has been necessitated due to the state's increasing demand for power since the installed capacities of all the power houses supplying base power to the grid is insufficient to cope with the peak demand.
Peak hour demand, for a few hours each morning and evening, will thus be met through this hydel power project. The World Bank is providing aid to the tune of $230 million which was sanctioned in 1989, when the exchange rate was approximately Rs 16 to the dollar. With the weakening of the rupee against the dollar, the aid has become attractive, officials admitted. The aid is part of the total project cost of Rs 1,140 crore.
Stage V planned
Keeping in view the state's rising peakpower demands, the Koyna project is likely to have a stage V and a possible addition of 5 mw generating capacity to stage I as well. The proposal for Koyna stage V has been submitted to the state government. Once the state government gives its `in-principle' clearance, the plan will be submitted to the central government for further clearances. The project, estimated to cost Rs 1,000 crore, envisages the generation of 400 mw power, using two machines of 200 mw each.
The proposed stage V project will use the 300-mtr natural waterfall at Wajarda as a pump storage unit.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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