Monday, July 30, 2012

Pumped storage system on cards for more power from Hirakud SUNDAY, 29 JULY 2012 18:18 PNS N BHUBANESWAR HITS: 45


SUNDAY, 29 JULY 2012 18:18
PNS N BHUBANESWAR
HITS: 45
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The State Government is seriously considering a proposal to adopt a pumped storage system to generate more power from the Hirakud hydropower station.
“We are considering a proposal to use the Hirakud water again and again to enhance the generation from the hydel plant,” said Minister of Energy Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak. This would solve the problem of generating power when there is a deficit of water in the Hirakud Dam reservoir, he said.
At a pumped storage hydropower plant, the flowing water is used to make electricity and then stored in a lower pool. Depending on how much electricity is required, the water may be pumped back to the reservoir.
Pumping water to the reservoir requires electricity; so, hydro plants usually use pumped storage system only when there is peak demand for power.  Many generating companies in the US use this method to generate power to meet the peak hour demands.
“The water would be pumped back to the reservoir to generate power to meet the peak hour demands,” said GRIDCO Director (Commercial) SK Pradhan. Explaining the economics of the system, he said the water would be pumped back during the non-peak hour when the power cost is Rs 3 per unit. But the generation during the peak hour would entail Rs 8 to 10 per unit.
This way the State can be saved from drawing high-cost power from the national grid during the peak hours, he said, adding that under a normal condition the State can also earn profit by exporting this power during the peak hours.
The Hirakud hydropower station, which has seven units, has an installed capacity of 275.5 MW. However, since the reservoir serves as a source for irrigation and industrial use besides drinking purposes, power generation gets the least priority. As such, the water carrying capacity of the dam has decreased over the years because of silting.
Now the erratic monsoon and the interception of water in the upper-end by the dams erected in Chhattisgarh have reduced the flow of water into the reservoir. This has led to a low power generation from the hydel station, particularly during the summer when the demand for power is too high. The pumped storage hydropower generation system would definitely ease the peak-hour power deficit problem during summer.


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