SHILLONG, June 13: There is no respite from load-shedding despite the rains in the state in the past few days as the water in the Umiam reservoir is still below a comfortable level.
Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Sanjay Goyal told reporters on Tuesday that the water level in Umiam increased by 6-7 feet but that was not enough.
He said the Umiam water never went down so low in the last decade and it is still not at a comfortable level.
“If it stops raining, this water will not be sufficient for production (of power) even for the next 10-11 days,” Goyal said.
Stating that the state is buying power from the National Thermal Power Corporation and the open market to maintain present level of load-shedding, he said the Leshka Hydroelectric project is a run-of-the-river project and it does not have storage capacity. “Whenever we get a good amount of rain, we tend not to go ahead with load shedding during day time,” Goyal said.
If the rain continues and the situation improves, the government will try to reduce the hours of load-shedding, he added.
Asked about water from Umiam reservoir being supplied to nearby authorities, Goyal said it is not enough to impact generation.
He said the bigger issue is that MeECL should be more efficient in the use of water and ensure that there is no leakage in generation points and dams. The MeECL is taking it up seriously and not wasting water, he further said.
Rs 180 cr for renovation of dams
To ensure the safety of dams, the state government has sanctioned Rs 180 crore under the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP).
Talking about the Umiam dam, Goyal said studies and testing are being conducted on the aspect of safety.
He admitted that the bearing on which the dam is resting has become old and the Power department is contemplating on retrofitting under the DRIP project.
He said the government will also take necessary steps to deal with problems such as leakages or cracks in the dam. He said the IIT, Guwahati has been already taken on board.
Goyal said DRIP will look not only into the safety of the superstructure but also focus on improving its lifespan.
DRIP is a World Bank-aided project and the government has already finalised some packages of certain category of works in Myntdu Leshka Hydro project and other projects. The government will require around three months to complete the tendering process, he added.
