Weighed down by scarce rainfall in southern parts of the state, which led to plunging reservoir levels in Balimela and Upper Kolab hydro power stations, the department of energy has scaled down power sales target of Orissa Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) for 2011-12.
The sale of power was originally targeted at Rs 371.16 crore for the current fiscal. It has been revised downwards to Rs 351.64 crore. The original target was set in the performance Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the state government and the hydro power generating PSU. Three major hydro power projects of OHPC- Upper Indravati hydro-electric project (600 MW), Balimela hydro-power project (510 MW) and Upper Kolab (320 MW) which constitute about 70 per cent of the hydro power capacity of OHPC were hit because of scant rainfall.
Since the target was set anticipating normal monsoon, it had to be revised after the monsoon played truant in south Orissa.
Along with revision in sale of hydro power, the MoU target of revenue per employee has been revised from Rs 16.17 lakh to Rs 15.85 lakh. The performance MoU targets were revised at a recent meeting held under the chairmanship of state energy secretary G Mathivathanan.
OHPC intended to contribute Rs 20 crore each to its two joint venture companies- Orissa Thermal Power Corporation (OTPCL) and Baitarani West Coal Company Ltd (BWCCL) assuming that all approvals for land acquisition would be in place and both the companies would start acquiring land.
