Power generation from the Indravati Hydro Electric Project in Odisha’s Kalahandi district was on Thursday stopped for indefinite period following heavy downpours in the region, seriously affecting power supply in the State, an official release by Gridco said.
The release added that due to closure of the unit, there will be a one-hour power-cut across the State to make for the shortfall in power generation.
As soon as the rain stops and weather conditions improve, power generation from the project would resume, it said. The Indravati Hydro Electric Project generates 600 MW power, thus greatly contributing to the increasing demand for electricity in the State. Peak power demand in Odisha is poised to grow at the rate of 16 per cent in 2013-14, the highest since 2007-08, mainly on the back of additional power load of around 1,200 MW needed for implementing the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) and the Biju Gram Jyoti Yojana (BGJY). The State’s peak power requirement for the next fiscal has been pegged at 4,491 MW up from 3,871 Mw in 2012-13.
Due to low pressure, several places in the State received heavy rainfall on Thursday. In Gajapati district, a bridge under Mohana block which was connecting 12 villages was washed away. Due to the bridge collapse, 15 Matric students who were going to appear the 10th supplementary examinations failed to reach at the examination centre.
Koraput received the highest rainfall of the day, said the local Meteorological department. Due to heavy downpour, Borigumma-Nabarangpur road was filled up with water up to five feet, while water level of the Hati river went up by two feet near Junagarh. Similarly, Rayagada and Ganjam districts and a few other places of south and western Odisha received heavy rainfall on Thursday.Meanwhile, the Meteorological department said that heavy to very heavy rainfall would lash several places of the State within next 24 hours.