Closed loop pumped hydropower project proposed in Adilabad district

Adilabad: In the next few years, Telangana is likely to get at least some of its electricity from picturesque hilly areas, if signals emerging from the powers of corridor are any indication.

The State government is examining proposals from the private sector for the establishment of ‘Off Stream Closed Loop Pumped Storage’ power generation units which, apparently, are less impacting in terms of environmental destruction.

What are the aspects of the hydropower project?

One such plant has been proposed to be established in the hills of Jhari village in Talamadugu mandal of Adilabad district. While some of the required preliminary work on this project has already been completed, the State government has asked the irrigation authorities to submit a detailed feasibility report for this project, especially the availability of water for power generation.

The project, which is estimated to cost over Rs 4,700 crores, envisages the generation of 750 MW (4,545 MWh). The main components of the project, involving the construction of two storage tanks (each of 845 mtr in length) away from the source stream and continuous cycling of the stored water only, are proposed to be in the Dedra forest block in the mandal.

The upper tank will boast a gross storage capacity of 0.381 tmcft. Its live storage will be 0.320 tmcft while the dead storage will be 0.161 tmcft.

Similarly, the lower tank will be designed to store 0.352 tmcft. The live storage of this tank will be 0.327 tmcft and the dead storage will be much lower at 0.025 tmcft.

Mathaivagu project

Explaining the concept of power generation, a top irrigation department official told this correspondent that initially, water from the Ruyyadi local hill stream would be pumped into the lower tank during the monsoon. Available data suggests that there is plenty of water in the stream apart from the 0.57 tmcft required to fill the Mathaivagu project located downstream.

“This is a one-time draw of 0.414 tmcft of water from the Ruyyadi stream. Only a very little quantum of water will be required in subsequent years to make up the losses due to evaporation,” the official pointed out.

Water from the lower tank is lifted to the upper tank during the day from where it will be released in a stream to a power generation turbine during the peak demand hours. This type of project is said to cost comparatively little in terms of environmental degradation.

According to the project concept information, the land required for the construction of the two tanks and other associated units is 319.5 hectare. Of this, 212 hectare is forest land and 107.5 hectare is non-forest.

Project to be completed in 3.5 years

Greenko Energy Private Ltd. has been permitted by the State and Central Forest departments to carry out necessary surveys subject to conditions set by the government. The estimated time for completion of the project is 3.5 years according to a proposed schedule.

The governments are of the view that off-stream closed loop generation of power is better than on stream process. “For one, it does not involve diversion of naturally occurring water sources to generate power,” observed the irrigation department official.

According to sources, the State government is also planning to come up with power generation in off-stream closed loop method close to Swarna project in Saramgapur mandal of Nirmal district and Kumram Bheem project in Kumram Bheem Aifabad district. Both these places are hilly areas.