Work on Kolli Hills hydro electric project to begin soon.

If things go well, the work on Kolli Hills Hydro Electric Project to produce 20 MW with the available water in the hilltop is expected to begin soon.

Though the project was conceived in 2003 at a cost of less than Rs. 50 crore, it ran into rough weathers over a period of time, with finally getting shape only last year.

Tangedco accorded revised administrative approval in January 2014 to take up the project at a cost of Rs. 338.79 crore. The cost was revised to Rs. 257.66 crore, and tenders were floated.

Sources told The Hindu that the Tangedco was expected to give approval for the project next month. The work could be completed in 36 months. Water would be sourced from River Ayyaru near Arapaleeswarar Temple, which originates at an elevation of 1,362m above the sea level and drops to an elevation of 200m near Puliancholai village on the border of Namakkal and Tiruchi districts. Five small dams or weirs would be constructed at Asakkadupatti, Kovilur, Telliangudu, Irungulipatti, and Kadampallam and water from the river would be diverted through these weirs to finally reach the Irungulipatti weir.

Of the pooled water at Irungilipatti weir, 127 cusecs will be conveyed through power tunnel of 3,725m long to the powerhouse located near Puliancholai village in Tiruchi district. Power would be generated through vertical Pelton turbine using the available hydraulic head of 716m.

Engineers said that the average annual energy generation is expected to be 64.61 million units and it will be a pollution-free power generation system. Also, the water storage in weirs would help improving the rainfall in the hills, they added. Engineers said that after the power generation, the water is again let off into the river at the foothills.


THE HINDU