From Kulekhani I, 60 MW; from Kulekhani II, 32 MW; and from Kulekhani III, 14 MW—a total of 106 MW of electricity is being generated, causing the surface level of Indrasarovar to decrease by 35 to 40 centimeters daily.
Hetaunda — After electricity began being imported from India for only 12 hours a day, the Kulekhani Hydropower Project has come under pressure. In this hydropower project, which serves as a backup for the Nepal Electricity Authority and utilizes the Kulekhani reservoir, the water level has been decreasing at an average rate of 36 centimeters per day for the past few days.
On Thursday afternoon at 2:00 PM, the water level in the Kulekhani reservoir was 1,523 meters and 82 centimeters. By Friday afternoon at the same time, it had decreased to 1,523 meters and 46 centimeters. After electricity import from India started for only 12 hours a day, all three hydroelectric projects of Kulekhani have been operating 24 hours, according to Taradatta Bhatt, the chief of Kulekhani
“All three projects of Kulekhani are currently operating 24 hours a day,” said Bhatt. “The water level of the Kulekhani reservoir has been decreasing by 35 to 40 centimeters daily.”
On Wednesday and Thursday, the Kulekhani projects were operated round the clock. This year, during the monsoon season, the Kulekhani reservoir overflowed, leading to the opening of the dam gates. The reservoir, which has a capacity to hold water up to 1,530 meters, was completely filled on 26th September.
The dam gates were opened on 27th September due to the overflow. The watershed areas of the reservoir include Daman, Palung, Bajrabarahi, and Chitlang of Thaha Municipality, as well as Markhu and Fakhel of Indrasarobar Rural Municipality in the northern region of Makwanpur. These areas experienced heavy rainfall during the last monsoon season, which caused the Kulekhani reservoir to fill up and overflow.
The Kulekhani reservoir-based project was operated after the dry season began. So far, the water level in the reservoir has decreased by 6 meters and 18 centimeters. The lowest usable water level in the Kulekhani reservoir is 1,483 meters. Once the water level reaches 1,483 meters, electricity production is no longer possible.
During last year’s dry season, the reservoir’s water was nearly used up to the final limit. According to the authority, electricity can still be generated until the water level drops to 1,484 meters. Out of the total stored water in the reservoir, only 46 meters of it can be used for power generation.
According to the authority, 106 MW of electricity is generated from the Kulekhani projects—60 MW from Kulekhani I, 32 MW from Kulekhani II, and 14 MW from Kulekhani III. All three projects generate electricity using the water stored in the Kulekhani reservoir.
With a width of 300 meters and a length of 7 kilometers, the Kulekhani reservoir is one of Nepal’s major hydroelectric projects. Bhatt stated that water is stored in the Kulekhani reservoir to ensure power generation during the dry season.
The water level of Indrasarobar has risen.
Due to the rise in the water level of the Kulekhani hydropower project’s reservoir, electricity generation has decreased by 63.3 million units. Initially, the water stored in the reservoir produced 211.1 million units of electricity; however, now that capacity has declined to only 144.7 million units. The reduction in the reservoir’s water storage capacity has led to the drop in power generation, which automatically affects overall production. A technician from Kulekhani I stated that the water holding capacity has diminished by about 27 million cubic meters.
Due to the annual influx of stones, soil, sand, and organic debris brought in by the sluice from the catchment area and deposited in the reservoir, the water storage capacity has been reduced as the reservoir’s surface level has risen. Initially, the Kulekhani reservoir could store 85.3 million cubic meters of water, but that capacity has decreased to 59.99 million cubic meters. It is reported that over the 41 years of operation, the reservoir’s surface level has increased by more than 13 meters.
The rising surface level of the reservoir has resulted in a 30 percent drop in its water storage capacity. Electricity production has also decreased by 30 percent. Compared to its original state, the decline in water storage capacity has caused the Electricity Authority to incur an annual loss of approximately 35 crore rupees.
In 1983, when the Kulekhani Hydropower Project was first commissioned, water up to 57 meters stored in the reservoir could be used for power generation. After the flood of 2050, only water up to 50 meters could be used, and now only water up to 46 meters is available for power production. As debris continues to accumulate in the reservoir, the usable water level for electricity generation has decreased.
Source: Kantipur
