KAVERI NAD POWER

 

KAVERI NAD POWER.  

KAVERI RIVER has the credit of first to produce Hydro Electricity in India in 1902, First in ASIA needs improvements to distribution system of power at its origin.   MYSORE POWER (then Mysore State Electricity Board) entered KODAGU in 1962 by 66 KV transmission line with smaller size RABBIT ACSR known as KFT line. 1962-2022 KODAGU has changed a lot with industrial growth around KUSHALNAGAR and adjoining Koppa & Bylakoppa of Periyapatna Taluk. Commercial establishments are spread across in all the taluks to meet the needs of tourists.

River Kaveri has connected Kodagu with neighbouring Districts of Mysuru Hassan  Mandya  Ramnagar and Tamilnadu State till its journey of joining Bay of Bengal. Power generation by Hydel Generation stations at Shivanasamudra Shimsha and other IPP's are in MANDYA District.              Mandya District has an area 4962 sq Kms with Population of 18,05,769 (urban 37358), Density 364 per Sq Kms.   Following KPTCL Electrical Infrastructure is established to cater the needs of the District. 220/66KV stations: 4- Transformation capacity:  900 MVA. 66/11KV Substations: 62 Nos with 112 power transformers & Transformation capacity of 1403.50 MVA.  From last three decades the EHV distribution has grown four fold. TUBINAKERE 220/66 KV receiving station established in 1999 tapping from Shimoga-Mysore Double circuit line was the first receiving station of District to cater rural parts & feed power to Mandya City and alternate power to Note Mudran Press of RBI in METAGALLI. 220 /66Kv Station inside “BWSSB campus in Thorekadanahalli” to feed   power to Four stages of water pumps of BWSSB was commissioned in 1994.   Now the District has four major stations (220/66 of 900 MVA Transformation capacities. Fifth 220/66KV receiving station is proposed at MADDUR to cater the needs of SOMANAHALLI Industrial area and surrounding substations.  MANDYA district is blessed by Kaveri water from KRS Dam & from HEMAVATHI river water. MANDYA & KODAGU have cultural bonds and blessed by Kaveri water. Transformation capacity of Mandya District is 7.77 KVA per person [4 Receiving stations of 900 MVA, 62 substations 1403.50 MVA for the population of  18,05,769 persons]. District known as SUGAR District has established Sugar factories in Mandya, Pandavapura, Maddur (Bharathi Nagar) KR PET with Co-generation power plants & Independent Power Producing plants and industrial areas in Maddur, Tubinakere and Mandya.

Kodagu with an area of 4201 sq kms and population of 6.15 Lakhs  receives  120 inches of rains from south west monsoon from June to October has no reservoir or major tanks to hold the rain water. Water drained from the slopes of Brahmagiri & Talakaveri ESZ forests on eastward slopes drains to Kaveri River. Many prime villages of heritage links in Kaveri basin from Talakaveri (Cherangala) Thannimani & Others are suffering  from acute low voltage & frequent power interruptions.  Border Villages of Virajpet  Taluk  Kadanga Marur &others  and Nariyandanda, Cheyandane,  Arapattu of Madikeri Taluk on SH-90 suffer from lesser voltage as  these villages are far away from VIRAJPET/ MURNAD & MADIKERI substations.  Public have represented to Deputy Commissioner Kodagu to consider establishing substation either 33/11 KV or 66/11KV at load centre to benefit the border remote villages. DC KODAGU is requested in Grama Vastavaiya sabhas to bring it to the knowledge of Energy Department & Governor of Karnataka for needful. Need to study the Technical & economic feasibility.  Installed capacity of the Receiving Station in KUSHALNAGAR is 200 MVA and of   Seven numbers of 66/33 & 66/11 substations in Five Taluks ( Madikeri/Virajpet/ Somawarpet / Ponnampet & Kushalnagar) is 165 MVA. Transformation capacity is   inadequate [ 165 MVA for 6.15 lakh population]. 

MADIKERI-MURNAD 33 KV line was not connected to Madikeri new 66/33/11 KV substation established in 2010 by a short link line in forest area. By not making utilising the existing 33 KV lines, Power consumers   fed from stations of Murnad, Siddapura, Srimangala, Virajpet, and Ponnampet  had to suffer the Power constraints from last few years during peak season.  This has been brought to the notice of the concerned.  Falls and rapids of river Kaveri from its origin Talakaveri till Kudige is not utilized. Irrigation dam built across River Harangi, tributary to Kaveri has facilitated generation of 9.2 MWs of Power from Mini Hydel scheme. Fall in water near BEEDALI is utilized to generate 2.9 Mws during monsoon evacuating energy to Somwarpet. In monsoon energy is pumped backed to grid in 220KV lines as noticed in Kushalnagar. Beyond Kodagu boundary, River Kaveri water is utilized at many places with Mini Hydel &   Major Hydro Electric Generation Stations for irrigation & power production. Irrigation canal water drop is utilized for power generation in Mandya District. Water fall in MANJANADKA RIVER near KARIKE village of Bhagamandala hobli is utilized for generation of captive Mini hydel plant of   10.00 Megawatt   power   by IPP from June till December pumping energy to Sullia substation of Dakshina Kannada District.

Action is now initiated by Chief Engineer Mysore Transmission Zone to connect Kushalnagar Main Station to Siddapura at the shortest route along State Highway SH-91 to reduce the length of transmission by 39 KMs to Virajpet and by 19 KMs to Ponnampet. It is also proposed to double the existing 66KV single circuit line feeding PONNAMPET via Project Tiger Thithimathi Reserved Forest area and connect it to new 220/66Kv main receiving station at HUNSUR tapping existing BASTIPUR- KUSHALNAGAR double circuit transmission line. Work is learnt to be under fast progress as per schedule.

 New Substations are proposed   in KODAGU hill district     as learnt from Zonal office of Transmission:  Srimangala (Up gradation work under progress) Hudikeri, Balale, Bhagamandala, Madapura, Kodlipet, Kudige, Hangal Shettihalli (Up gradation of Somwarpet 33 kv) Siddapura (Up gradation from 33 to 66KV) are approved and works are expected to be included in Annual plan of works for 2022-23 present financial year. T&D  Company    Project Team has conducted detailed techno economic project study of all the 82 feeders in the District and under process in phases according to the need.  

 [Electricity consumers of  KAVERI NAD Central Kodagu of Madikeri Taluk  have joined together to promote   the   platform named “Madikeri Gramin Vidyut Balakedarara Vedike”   to guard the interests of Madikeri Taluk rural population of 1,25,000 persons residing in Rural parts of four hoblis of Madikeri Taluk   in 67 villages governed by 26 Village panchayats . The consumers of these remote areas are experiencing   power problems, as the villages are located in  western ghat valleys & hills covered by forests and inhabited cluster of villages amidst Coffee Pepper Cocoa and Rubber growing areas, away from MADIKERI District head quarters Electric substation. Local governance in VP TP ZP of these Hobli are aware of the Electricity problems].  

Rathan Kilar. Chartered Engineer,

        Dated 7^th June 2022.