The already over-stressed Northern Grid is likely to come under renewed pressure after power generation in Uttarakhand on Saturday virtually came to a naught following heavy floods.
Save one or two, all major hydel projects were shut down following torrential rains that lashed the hill state in the past 36 hours. The torrential rains have triggered flash floods and heavy silt in the rivers which in turn put brakes on the turbines.
The flash floods have also caused damage to three state-run small hydel projects under UJVN Ltd in Uttarkashi district. Nineteen labourers at the Assi Ganga hydel project went missing early on Saturday following a cloudburst in the district.
“Except one or two hydel projects, we have shut down all other such projects due to heavy floods,” said B C K Mishra, director (Operations), UJVN Ltd. Projects under UJVN on an average produce 18-20 million units a day during the monsoon season.
A high alert has been sounded in the hill state, where at least 50 people were feared dead following the heavy rains. With power generation coming to a standstill, officials said the hill state would now be forced to overdraw electricity from the Northern Grid. Uttarakhand is already faced the spectre of heavy fine in the wake of allegations that it overdrew power from the grid along with Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Punjab.
“We are working hard to resume our operations,” said Mishra.
The water levels in Bhagirathi, Alkananda, Yamuna have already reached the danger mark, officials said.
