KATHMANDU, SEP 19 –
Heavy rains in the last few days have led to water level in the Kulekhani reservoir rising by around four metres and this is likely to ease power cuts to some extent this winter.
However, officials attribute the present respite in load-shedding hours to the fall in temperature, which has led to people using less hours of fans and air conditioners.
The 92-MW Kulekhani Hydro Electricity Project is the only reservoir-type power project in Nepal. Though the rise in the water level is not contributing to the temporary respite in load-shedding, it will positively contribute in minimising the daily projected power outage of 21 hours this winter, officials said.
Electricity consumers in the Kathmandu valley have been experiencing an ‘unofficial’ decrease in the daily power-cuts, ranging between one and one-and-a-half hours.
Lashing rains contributed to the decrease in around 20 to 25 megawatt of power consumption. The present demand for power is 980 megawatt, while the supply stands at a mere 600 MW and that includes electricity imported from India.
According to Bhuwan Kumar Chettri, the chief of the System Operations Department under the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), almost all run-off river power projects that are in operation are running in full capacity as the water level in the rivers feeding the projects is ‘satisfactory.’
‘Bishwakarma’ puja that was celebrated on Monday also contributed to the decrease in the power demand as most power-demanding industries remained closed that day,” Chettri said.
The water level in the Kulekhani was recorded at 1,523.60 metres above sea level at 5 pm on Tuesday, a leap of around four metres as compared to the level a few days ago.
Rabindra Mahaseth, the chief of the Kulekhani project, said the water level is rising at the range of five to six centimetres every hour.
“If the downpour continues for another couple of days, the reservoir is likely to be full. And this is a good sign for the coming dry season,” he said. The reservoir can store water up to 1,530 metres above sea level.
Mahaseth said the Kulekhani project is not generating power every day and is only operated to meet the emergency needs.
The Meteorological Forecasting Division has recorded moderate to heavy rainfall in many parts of the country since the beginning of this month, a trend that is expected to continue for at least another week.
Source : The Kathmandu Post
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काठमाडौं, असोज २ – दुई दिनदेखि लगातार भएको वर्षाले कुलेखानीको जलाशयमा पानीको सतह तीन मिटर बढेको छ। सोमबारसम्म पानीको सतह एकहजार पाँचसय २२ मिटर पुगेको छ। पुरै भरिन अझै आठ मिटर पानीको सतह बढ्नुपर्छ।
कुलेखानीको जलाशय भरिँदा एकहजार पाँचसय ३० मिटर पानीको सतह पुग्छ। गत वर्ष जलाशय पुरै भरिएको थियो। त्यतिखेर लजाशयको ड्याममा माटो भरेका बोरा राखेर थप २० सेन्टीमिटर पानी संरक्षण गरिएको थियो ,।
‘जलाशय जति माथि जान्छ पानीको सतह त्यति बढ्ने भएकोले भरिन अझै आधा बाँकी छ,’ विद्युत प्राधिकरण प्रणाली सञ्चालन बिभागका निर्देशक भुवनकुमार क्षेत्रीले भने। कुलेखानीको जलाशय भरिएन भने यो हिउँदमा बिजुलीको लोडसेडिङ बढ्ने अनुमान प्राधिकरणको छ।
गत हिउँदमा प्राधिकरणले दैनिक १२ घण्टा लोडसेडिङ गरेको थियो। यस पटक पनि १२ घण्टाभन्दा बढ्न नदिन कार्ययोजना बनाएर ऊर्जा मन्त्रालयले मन्त्रिपरिषदमा पठाएको छ।
भारतबाट दुईसय मेगावाट बिजुली आयात गर्ने, मल्टिफ्यूल प्लान्टहरु सञ्चालन गरेर बिजुली उत्पादन गर्ने, उद्योगी व्यापारीले जेनेरेटरबाट उत्पादन गरेको बिजुली किन्ने लगायतका योजना ऊर्जा मन्त्रालयले बनाएको छ। बिजुलीको खपत कम गर्न हप्तामा दुई दिन सार्वजनिक बिदा दिने समेतको प्रस्ताव ऊर्जा मन्त्रालयले बनाएको छ।
कुलेखानीको जलाशयमा रहेको पानीबाट ९२ मेगावाट बिजुली निस्कन्छ । संचित गरेको पानीबाट साँझ बिहान बढी बिजुली आवश्यक पर्ने समयमा प्राधिकरणले कुलेखानीबाट बिजुली उत्पादन गर्दै आएको छ।
यो वर्ष पानी कम परेकोले जलाशय भरिने संभावना कम भएको प्राधिकरणका अधिकारीहरुले बताएका छन्। गत वर्ष भदौ पहिलो सातानै भरिएको जलाशय अहिले असोज सुरु हुँदा पनि नभरिएको हुँदा प्राधिकरणका अधिकारीहरु हिउँदमा लोडसेडिङ बढी गर्नुपर्ने मनस्थितीमा छन्।
भदौ अन्तिममा आएर मनसुनी बर्षा सकृय भएको छ। जल तथा मौसम बिज्ञान विभागले अझै केही दिन मनसुनी वर्षा सकृय हुने अनुमान गरेको छ।
प्रस्तुति: नागरिक
