Koyna Hydroelectric Project

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Koyna Hydroelectric Project
Koynaa dam.jpg
Koyna Dam
Koyna Hydroelectric Project
Country
  • India
LocationSatara district, Maharashtra, India
Coordinates 17°24′06″N73°45′05″E / 17.40167°N 73.75139°E / 17.40167; 73.75139
StatusOperational
Construction began1954
Owner(s)Maharashtra State Electricity Board
Operator(s)Maharashtra State Electricity Board
External links
Website www.koynaproject.org
Commons Related media on Commons
Shivasagar lake Shivasagar.jpg
Shivasagar lake

The Koyna Hydroelectric Project is the second largest hydroelectric power plant in India, just after the Tehri Dam Project. [1] It is a complex project with four dams including the largest dam on the Koyna River, Maharashtra, hence the name Koyna Hydroelectric Project. The project site is in Satara district.

Contents

The Koyana Dam situated near Koyananagar village. On river Koyana.

The total capacity of the project is 1,960 MW . The project consists of four stages of power generation. All the generators are located in underground powerhouses excavated deep inside the mountains of the Western Ghats. A dam foot powerhouse also contributes to the electricity generation. Due to the project's electricity generating potential the Koyna River is considered as the life line of Maharashtra.

The project takes advantage of the height of Western Ghats. Thus a very large hydraulic head is available over a very short distance.

History

In the early 20th century, there was a survey of the Koyna River as a potential hydro-electric source. After the First World War, a hydro-electric project on the Koyna river was investigated by the Tata Group. The 1928 financial crisis caused the project to be shelved. After the independence of India, it was taken over by the Government of Maharashtra. In 1951 Koyna Dam division started to look into the project. The project was approved in 1953 and work commenced in early 1954. The second stage of the project was made using a World Bank loan (Project loan number 24-IN. [2]

Description

Head race tunnel Head Race T.jpg
Head race tunnel
Head race tunnel Head Race Tu.jpg
Head race tunnel
Outdoor switchyard Koyna Switchyard.jpg
Outdoor switchyard

The project is composed of four dams with the major contributors being the Koyna Dam and Kolkewadi Dam. The water from Shivasagar reservoir was formed by the Koyna Dam and is used in the 1st, 2nd and 4th stages. This water is drawn from head race tunnels situated below the reservoir. Then it travels through vertical pressure shafts to the underground powerhouses. The discharged water from these stages is collected and stored in Kolkewadi Dam situated near village of Alore. The water is drawn from the penstocks of Kolkewadi Dam to an underground power station in the 3rd stage and then discharged to the Arabian Sea.

The electricity generated in all the stages is delivered to the main electrical grid. The project is run by the Maharashtra State Electricity Board.

StageUnit numberInstalled capacity (MW)Date of commissioningStatus
Stage I1701962 MayRunning [3]
Stage I2701962 AugustRunning
Stage I3701963 JanuaryRunning
Stage I4701963 FebruaryRunning
Stage II5801967 JuneRunning
Stage II6801966 NovemberRunning
Stage II7801966 JuneRunning
Stage II8801966 MarchRunning
Stage III9801975 JulyRunning
Stage III10801976 JanuaryRunning
Stage III11801977 MayRunning
Stage III12801977Running
Stage IV132501981Running
Stage IV142501981Running
Stage IV152501981Running
Stage IV162501981Running [4]

Besides this dam foot powerhouse part of power plant also produces 40 MW through two generating units of 20 MW each, totalling 1960 MW. Details of each stage are given below.

Stage I and II

The first stage of the project was approved in late 1953 and construction began in early 1954. Initially a two-stage construction was conceived. But the total generation capacity of the two stages was too large for load forecasts of that time. So a time lag of more than 10 years was proposed between the two stages. Within two years thereafter, it came to be noticed that the 10 years time tag between these two stages will not be affordable and to cope up with the power requirements, the two stages should be merged and both the stages should be constructed simultaneously. Hence, it was accepted that the two stages have to be executed as one.

The 1st and 2nd stages share same powerhouse with total eight Pelton turbine units. Each of the two stages has four turbines having capacity of 65 MW each for 1st stage and 75 MW each for 2nd stage. The water from Shivasagar reservoir is taken through an intake structure known as Navja tower near village of Navja into the head race tunnel. Then it travels towards the surge tank. It is further divided into four pressure shafts which run vertically downward delivering water to the turbines. Then the water is discharged into the tail race tunnel.

A dam foot powerhouse was also constructed which is used to generate electricity by the water which is discharged from the Koyna Dam for irrigation purpose. It has two Francis turbine units of 20 MW each. This powerhouse is run according to the irrigation requirements of the downstream areas.

The combined installed capacity of the two stages and the dam foot powerhouse is 600 MW.

Stage III

Initially a weir was proposed to divert the water coming out of tail race tunnel of Stage I and II. But it was later observed that the water still had a hydraulic head of about 120 m which could be used. To use this head, the Kolkewadi Dam was constructed at this location. It forms a balancing reservoir and maintains the head. This dam impounds the tail race water from Stage I and II. This water is drawn through penstocks and electricity is generated by four Francis turbine units with a capacity of 80 MW each. The tail race water from these stages then flows through a channel and joins the Arabian Sea near Chiplun.

The installed generating capacity of this stage is 320 MW.

Stage IV

Later in the 1980s, the electricity demand of the Maharashtra increased tremendously resulting in inadequate power supply. The Planning Commission accorded approval to Stage IV with installation capacity of 4 × 250 MW. Thus, one more stage called Stage IV was added to power system of Stages I and II, thus converting the Koyna Power Station into a peaking power station complex with load factor of about 18.7%. This scheme also draws water from the existing Shivasagar reservoir same as Stages I and II.

A nonconventional intake system was created by piercing the lake from the bottom by blasting the rock plug using dynamite. [5] This double lake tapping process was the first of its kind in Asia. [6]

The water in head race tunnel is directly drawn from the reservoir and delivered to the head surge tank. Then four pressure shafts take the water downward vertically. The four huge Francis turbine units of 250 MW each generate electricity and tail race water is taken into the Kolkewadi Dam reservoir through tail race tunnel. A revolutionary gas insulated switchgear system is used in the underground powerhouse of this stage.

The installed capacity of this stage alone is 1000 Mw. This stage is mostly used to cater for the peak hour demands of the electric grid.

Features

Stage I & IIStage IIIStage IV
Dam
Catchment area891.78 km2 (344 sq mi)25.04 km2 (10 sq mi)Capacity of stage I & II is utilised
Capacity2797  MCM 36 MCM
Max. height above foundation103.02 m63.30 m
Length807.72 m497.00 m
Intake works
Head race tunnel length3748 m4551 m4230 m
Intake tunnel diameter6.4 m circular7.4 m D shape7 m × 9.50 m horseshoe shape
Discharge capacity164 m3/s170 m3/s260 m3/s
Pressure shafts
Number444
Length(each)616 m192 m590 m
Power house
Approach tunnel length864 m780 m988 m
Tail race tunnel length2215 m4543 m2314 m
Number of turbines4 (stage I) + 4 (stage II) + 2 (dam foot powerhouse) = 1044
Type of turbinePelton (stage I & II) Francis (dam foot powerhouse)FrancisFrancis
Installed generation capacity600 MW320 MW1000 MW
Switch yard4572 m340 m134 m × 18 m underground
Load factor60%24%18% (1 + 2 & 4)

Future plans

To utilise more water from the Shivasagar reservoir, another dam foot powerhouse is being constructed on the left bank of the dam. This powerhouse will employ a pumped storage scheme. Also lake tapping is proposed for the intake system.

Tourism

The impounded water of the Koyna Dam though has submerged a significant amount of rain forest of the Western Ghats, it has helped a lot to the surrounding forest by supplying water all round the year. Hence a wide biodiversity of plants and animals is observed in the evergreen forest surrounding the reservoir area.

Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary

A part of the evergreen forest in surrounding area of the project Surge Well.jpg
A part of the evergreen forest in surrounding area of the project

Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary has dense forests with three major sections, Vasota, Maharkhor and Indavli Met, and the sanctuary is endowed with natural protective boundaries Shivasagar Lake on one side, and the slopes of the Western Ghats on both the sides. This protective cover has enabled the emergence of a diverse variety of flora and fauna in the sanctuary. Some of the endangered species of trees found in the sanctuary are Dhup ( Boswellia serrata ), Euphorbia longan , and Elaeocarpus spp., apart from many other species of trees. The sanctuary has a diverse variety of fauna including tigers and panthers; gaurs and sambars; barking and mouse deer; pythons and cobras; common langurs and Indian giant squirrels. Many species of birds are found in the sanctuary including brown capped woodpecker; Asian fairy bluebird; and crested goshawk.

Another attraction of the sanctuary is Vasota Fort which lies deep in the forest and is located at a height of 1,120 m (3,675 ft) above sea level. The legend states that the fort was constructed by Malwa king Raja Bhoja in 1170.

Nehru Memorial park

When the project work was nearing completion, on 10 April 1960, the then Prime Minister of India Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru visited the Koyna Project. To commemorate this event a tableau was unveiled at his gracious hands on the right flank hillock of Koyna Dam. This project came up with an idea of immortalizing this place and this event by constructing a beautiful park and naming it as "Nehru Memorial Park". This park is a major attraction for tourists. An upstream side view of dam is visible from this garden. There is an auditorium named 'Yashogatha' (meaning: story of success) which relives a small element of the tremendous efforts taken by the engineers and workers associated with project.

Ozarde falls

Ozarda fall Ozarda.jpg
Ozarda fall

Due to the large rainfall in the hilly region surrounding the reservoir, some beautiful falls are generated in the monsoon season. The largest of them is the Ozarda falls near Navaja village 10 km from Koyna. This is also a major attraction for tourists visiting in monsoon season.

See also

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References

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