Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the 40-megawatt (MW) Thottiyar Hydro Electric scheme in Idukki on Monday. According to officials, the speciality of the Thottiyar project is the low quantity of water needed for power generation. The expected annual power generation here is 99 million units. During the trial run, the project generated 173 million units of electricity.
The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) installed the ‘Run For River’ system for the project. The water from Deviyar, the stream connecting to Periyar, is used for the Thottiyar power project. The 10 MW and 30 MW capacity worth two generators were installed for the project. The 10 MW generator of the Thottiyar project was synchronised with the power grid on July 10, and the 30 MW second generator on September 30.
The check dam set up across the Deviyar in Valara and nearby water bodies is the primary source of the Thottiyar Hydel project. The water is stored in the 222-metre-long and 7.5-metre-wide check dam, and it flows through a 60-metre-long canal and a 199-metre-long tunnel and reaches the 1,252-metre-long penstock pipes. The water falls from the 474.3-metre-long penstock pipes to the vertical turbines in the powerhouse.
The powerhouse will be set up at Neendapara, near the Periyar River, under Devikulam taluk. After power generation, water will be released into the Periyar River. The total cost of the project is ₹188 crore.
The Chief Minister will inaugurate the project at Lower Periyar at 10.30 a.m. on Monday. Power Minister K. Krishnankutty, Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine, Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose, Udumbanchola MLA and former Power Minister M.M. Mani, Devikulam MLA A. Raja, Kothamangalam MLA Antony John, District Collector V. Vigneshwari, KSEB chairman Biju Prabhakar among others will attend the function.
Published – October 27, 2024 07:56 pm IST
