Power generation falls to 90 MW from 230 at KHPP

Water level 75.05 MSL instead of 82.40
Kaptai Hydroelectric Power Plant (KHPP), the country’s lone hydroelectric power project, is now in operation with one unit only out of five, generating just 90 megawatt (MW) of electricity instead of installed 230MW at present.
With the decline of power generation at KHPP due to drastic fall of water level in the Kaptai Lake, load shedding has become a regular phenomenon, causing a great suffering to the people of Rangamati.
On an average, load shedding takes place eight to ten times a day which has made the public life measurable and hampered office works. Sometimes, the town dwellers have to pass the whole night without electricity. Currently, the production of electricity of the power plant has come down to 90 MW from the installed capacity of 230 MW, KHPP sources said.
The KHPP authority operates one unit only out of five during day time. However, considering the underway SSC examination, two units are operated at night at the Kaptai power plant, the KHPP sources said.
The capacity of each unit of the power plant is 50 MW. At present, the Means Sea Level (MSL) of the lake is 75.05 whereas it should be 82.40 during this time.
With the winter season ending, water level of Kaptai Lake begins to decrease, which continues until rainy season arrives every year. During the last winter, For normal generation of electricity, the water level should be at least at 88.82 MSL in Kaptai Lake. Now only one of the five units is in operation. Water supply by the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) has been being disrupted in the town for the last fifteen days in the district town due to severe power cut, DPHE sources said.
For finding out better way of solution of the on-going power crisis, a committee was formed on April 6, comprising divisional commissioner of Chittagong, chairmen from three hill district councils, deputy commissioners, manager of KHPP, a representative from the ministry of Water Resources, respective upazilla chairmen and the UNOs, said district administration sources. This committee has been advised to formulate plans and will give recommendations on management of lake’s water.
Meantime, one to all has been requested not to dump wastes in water of the Kaptai Lake for the sake of keeping lake’s water free from pollution. A high-level meeting will be held on May-4 at Kaptai upazila in Rangamati, to find out way as to how to increase electricity generation and water in the lake, sources said.
Ferdous Ali, Manager of KHPP, on Tuesday discussed the matter with Sourendra Nath Chakrabarty, Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati. “I have asked the manager of KHPP not to use lake water for any other purpose except for power generation,’ said the DC.

Courtesy of The Bangladesh Today