BBMB sets new record in daily electricity generation

Chandigarh, July 26

Bhakra Beas Management Board has set a new daily electricity generation record of 615.14 lakh units on July 24, its chairman Nand Lal Sharma said on Wednesday.

The previous record for maximum power generation in a single day was 604.24 lakh units, achieved in August 2008, Sharma said in a statement here.

BBMB further said that during torrential rains in the region from July 8 till July 1, it successfully absorbed the entire flood water that originated in the rivers Sutlej and Beas in its Bhakra and Pong dams, respectively. 

In Bhakra dam, an astounding 4,45,037 cusec days (1,088 million cubic metres) of water was absorbed and in Pong dam about 6,25,554 cusec days (1,530 million cubic metres) of water was absorbed in just four days, said BBMB, which manages water resources of Sutlej and Beas rivers.

During the current month up till July 24, BBMB received a staggering 3,590 million cubic metres of water in the Pong dam against a long-term average inflow of 1,610 million cubic metres during this period.

Similarly, in Bhakra, 3,920 million cubic metres of water was received till July 24 compared to the long-term average of 2,940 million cubic metres for the said period. 

BBMB was able to successfully absorb this water in its dams thereby significantly reducing the fury of floods in Punjab and Haryana, it said.

Now, when the flood waters in the downstream areas have receded, BBMB has started to control the discharge of water from its dams, leading to record production of electricity, it said.