Renovation of Bhakra units delayed further
Punjab and Haryana may not get the expected peak-load relief from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) in summer. The renovation and modernisation (R&M) of units 2 and 5 of the Bhakra Dam's left bank powerhouse is delayed further. Bahadurjeet Singh reports
Punjab and Haryana may not get the expected peak-load relief from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) in summer.
The renovation and modernisation (R&M) of units 2 and 5 of the Bhakra Dam's left bank powerhouse is delayed further. The R&M of all five Bhakra left-bank units was to get over by March in a phased manner but the work on the first two units, marked to be completed within a year, has lingered. The overrun is more than two years.
The BBMB came out with many completion schedules in the past two years. The last revised deadline expired on May 21, while a unit is scheduled to get into operation by June-end and another in July-end. The renovation of unit 2 began on April 26, 2010, and was to be completed within the 11th Five-Year Plan. It's now expected to be ready by August, while the completion of unit 5 is another three months beyond.
The non-operation of the two units was one of the factors that caused spillage at Bhakra Dam in 2010 and 2011, said sources. BBMB chief engineer (generation) KK Kaul said, however, that the delay in the completion of the R&M was "not much". "Unit 2 will be handed over to the BBMB by July 24 and unit 5 a month later. We hope to complete the work within deadline," he said.