The renovated Sharavathi Generating Station (SGS), a unit of Sharavathi Hydel Power Project, was formally inaugurated by Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday.
The SGS has been renovated at the cost of ₹64 crore. Mr. Shivakumar also unveiled the busts of Shastri and M. Visvesvaraya, engineer-statesman, who had taken the initiative for power generation in Sharavathi river valley during his tenure as Dewan of Mysore State, on the premises of SGS.
A massive fire broke out at SGS on February 18, 2016, resulting in massive destruction. Owing to single phase to earth fault, electricity flow in 220 kV line of SGS had enhanced to 21.6 kA, resulting in fire at the cable duct. Following this, the power generation at SGS was suspended for sometime.
As part of renovation, the work of automation of the power distribution system was taken up and the control room was rebuilt by adopting the modern SCADA - Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition technology.
Earlier, the switches of the panels at the control room for power generation, distribution were operated manually. The automation has reduced the human interference in the operations. The SCADA has enabled efficient monitoring and control of power generation and distribution systems on a real-time basis.
Mr. Shivakumar said that owing to the determined efforts of the workers of Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd., within a short span of 178 days of the fire mishap, the renovation work was completed and full-fledged power generation resumed.
The Sharavathi Hydel Power Project has an installed capacity to generate 1,469 MW that includes 1,035 MW from SGS, 240 from Gerusoppa Power Station, 139 from Mahatma Gandhi Power House, and 55 MW from Linganamakki Dam Power House.
Power distribution substation
Mr. Shivakumar laid the foundation stone for construction of power distribution substation of 110/11 kV capacity of Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. on the premises of McGann Hospital on Friday.
The substation will come up at an estimated cost of ₹16.55 crore. The city already has four power distribution substations at MRS Circle, Alkola, Tyavarechatnahalli, and Mandli locality. Uninterrupted power supply will be provided for McGann Hospital through a dedicated feeder line from the new substation. In addition, the new station will also provide power for localities in the vicinity of Ashoka Circle, Nehru Road, B.H. Road, Sagar Road, and Nehru Stadium.
Mr. Shivakumar said it has been planned to establish solar power parks in 105 taluks in the State with each park having the capacity to generate 20 MW power. The State government was committed to improve the quality of power distribution in moffusil centres, he said.
K.B. Prasanna Kumar, Shivamogga MLA, said work of laying underground power cables in Shivamogga city for ₹71 crore has commenced.
He requested the State government to sanction another power distribution substation for Shivamogga city to cater to the needs of industrial estate of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board in Devakatikoppa and surrounding areas.
