Power generation dips at Giri powerhouse amid heatwave

Nahan, June 3

The scorching heatwave gripping the region has critically impacted the Giri Nagar powerhouse’s operations in Sirmaur. The powerhouse’s production capacity has plunged to a mere 4 per cent.

Over the past 10 days, the river’s water flow has dwindled to a mere 2-3 cubic metres per second (cumecs), a significant shortfall from the 46 cumecs required for full production.

This sharp decrease has limited the power house to generating only 2.4 megawatts (MW) of electricity, a far cry from its 60 MW capacity.

The sudden and severe reduction in water levels is a direct consequence of the extreme heatwave that has taken over the region.

With power generation dropping by 96 per cent, the State Electricity Board is facing a substantial loss. Currently, both of the turbine machines at the powerhouse are operational for only three hours a day. The prolonged heatwave and subsequent decrease in water discharge is causing financial losses in the lakhs for the State Electricity Board. To mitigate the power shortage, the board has had to rely on purchasing electricity from the Khodri Majri and Solan power houses at elevated prices, which is then distributed to consumers at subsidised rates to ensure adequate supply during the summer months.

An official of the Giri Hydroelectric Project in Giri Nagar said, “Electricity production is directly related to water discharge. With the sudden drop in the Giri River’s water level in the last few days, we have been forced to limit production to just 2.4 MW.”