Kadra Hydel Unit Set To Go On Stream

Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL) is set to add 1 million units of electricity a day to the state grid by commissioning the first unit of the 150-mw Kadra hydro-electric project in a week.

The Kadra, Kodasalli and Gerusoppa hydel stations have suffered delays due to the sudden cancellation of World Bank aid worth $200 million in 1992. The World Bank withdrew from the project following the state governments refusal to revamp the Karnataka Electricity Board and switch to tariff-based supply for the farm sector.

We have since then generated funds from our own resources to see the project through and are set to commission the first unit next week, said KPCL managing director K Jairaj.

The first unit of the Kadra project, which has a capacity of 50 mw, happens to be the only hydel station in the state to be completed after 1989, when the 230-mw Varahi project had gone on stream, Jairaj added.

KPCL plans to add another 2 million units a day to the state grid in a few months by commissioning the other two units of 50-mw each of the Kadra project.

In the meantime, the corporation is gearing up to commission the first unit of 60-mw of the 120-mw Kodasalli project by November this year.

The Kadra and Kodasalli projects will cost the corporation over Rs 650 crore. Jairaj and his team is busy convincing the Power Finance Corporation to sanction at least Rs 150 crore to speed up the implementation.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (Bhel) has supplied equipment for these projects.

Our relationship with Bhel has been a happy one and we hope to continue that, said Jairaj.

Since the main dam and power house for the first stage of the Kadra project were ready, said Jairaj, the only major task left before the second and third units could be commissioned was construction of a powerhouse.

The corporation also hopes to complete work on the Gerusoppa hydel station soon. It has already spent over Rs 100 crore on the project.

The Karnataka Electricity Board has almost completed the construction of the 59-km transmission line to evacuate the power generated at the Kadra and Kodasalli projects. The 220-kv line, constructed at a cost of Rs 100 crore, would undergo dry runs this week to test its carrying capacity between Nagzari-Kodasalli-Kaiga-Kadra points, Jairaj said.

Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda is expected to dedicate the Kadra hydel station to the nation during his next visit to Karnataka.