The government is planning to equip hydroelectric projects with pumped storage systems to enhance reserve generation capacity and offset the increasing uncertainties in rainfall due to climate change.
Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed told K.N.A. Khadar and others in the Assembly on Thursday that pumped storage schemes would be incorporated into the Edamalayar, Kakkayam, Sholayar, and Kakki projects. During question hour in the House, the Minister said augmentation schemes were being worked out for the Edamalayar, Pallivasal, and Twin Kallar projects. Efforts were being made to deal with the low storage position in dams by regulating power generation and bringing power from other States.
Replying to supplementary questions, he said feasibility studies were being conducted for the augmentation of the Edamalayar, Sholayar, Panniyar, Sabarigiri, and Kakkad hydroelectric projects to enhance the availability of peak load energy.
He added that hydel dams in the State had enough water to generate 1,946 million units of power as on July 23. The storage position last year was 1,314 mu.
Awaiting clearance
Mr. Mohammed informed the House that the 80-MW Pathrakadavu project was awaiting clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
The report of the expert committee constituted by the Central Water Commission on the Athirappilly hydroelectric project was in favour of the State, he added. The Minister told Raju Abraham and others that 10 hydroelectric schemes with a total capacity of 34.41 MW had been commissioned over the last four years.
The replacement of the damaged generator at Sabarigiri added another 5 MW while grid-fed solar plants accounted for an additional 1.304 MW. As many as six small hydroelectric schemes were expected to add a total of 63.6 MW to the State grid.
