All six units at the 1020-megawatt (MW) Tala Hydropower Plant (THP) have been shut since yesterday morning. According to the Druk Green Power Corporation’s Managing Director, Dasho Chhewang Rinzin, debris build-up at the reservoir due to continuous rainfall in the past few days has blocked the intake tunnels.
The blockage has led to less water running through the tunnels to turn the six turbines generating power. The Managing Director said all resources had been deployed to clean the debris and resume power supply by evening tomorrow.
The water level in the dam is also lowered to assist the clean-up work.
The six turbines at the THP runs at 10% overload during summer, generating an additional 102MWs. Since other powerhouses meet domestic demand for electricity in summer, all the electricity generated from the THP is exported to India.
The Managing Director added when running on overload, the THP produces 26 M units of electricity in a day. The power generated is exported at Nu 2.12 to India, which means the three-day shutdown would incur a revenue loss of more than Nu 165 M.
Sherub Dorji
