Delay trips BBMB renovation plans

Delay in modernisation plans of Bhakra Beas Management Board, which aimed at increasing power generation of left bank units, is going to make matters worse on the power front in the near future. Combined with delayed monsoon and power crunch faced by generation companies does not augur well for the common man.

Delay in modernisation plans of Bhakra Beas Management Board, which aimed at increasing power generation of left bank units, is going to make matters worse on the power front in the near future. Combined with delayed monsoon and power crunch faced by generation companies does not augur well for the common man.

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Units number 2 and 5 of left bank of the Bhakra dam are under renovation and each have a power generation capacity of 108 MW. This reduces 216 MW power generation ability of BBMB this season, at a time when power demand is high due to scorching heat.

The Rs 490-crore contract to renovate and modernise the Bhakra powerhouse was awarded to an Austrian company Andritz in 2010. Under this plan, the BBMB eyed adding another 90 MW as machines of Bhakra left powerhouse were being upgraded from the present capacity of 108 MW to 126 MW.

To be executed in a phased manner, the project is scheduled for completion by March 2013. The work of left bank machine number 2 was initiated in May 2010 and was to be completed by November 2010.
Similarly, the work on machine number 5 was set for commission by June 2011. However, both the deadlines have been missed, decreasing the power generation of 216 MW. Work on the remaining units has still not started.

Despite several attempts BBMB chairman AB Aggarwal was not available for comment. However, KK Kaul, Chief Engineer (Generation) said: “We are trying our best to complete the work at the earliest. By all means, units number 2 and 5 will be commissioned by end of this year”, said.