Mukerian's 4 power houses stop working
Harpreet Kaur
hindustantimes.com
HOSHIARPUR:

With the suspension of power generation at Mukerian Hydel Channel due to shortage of water supply, the power crisis has deepened in the state.
The four power houses of 207- MW capacity have stopped work- ing as sufficient water was not being released from Pong Dam.

Sources said the generation may not resume before April 30.
The closure of the Mukerian power houses means a loss of around 2.7 lakh units of electricity per day to the Northern Grid.

A minimum of 1,800 cusecs of water is needed to run the power houses, according to PSEB offi- cials but they were not getting more than 300-400 cusecs an hour.

“ Below a certain level of water discharge, it is not possible to run the power houses, so it is better to take up maintenance during this period,“ said Superintending Engineer Ashok Goel.

The water level at the dam had dipped to 1,271 feet recently, less than the optimum level of 1,285 feet, forcing a cut in the discharge to the hydel channel. Since mon- soons are not expected to arrive before June, BBMB has curtailed the supply.

The depleting water level in the dam is also affecting irriga- tion as less water is being released in the Kandi canal. Farmers in the catchment area are making do with very little water.

The Irrigation officials, how- ever, said the situation would improve after the filling season starts in June.