Hydropower Generation Performance in Cauvery Basin

The river Cauvery is an Inter-State river in Southern India that runs across three of the southern
Indian states i.e. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and a Union Territory of Puducherry. The fourth
largest river of southern region flowing east and running into the Bay of Bengal. The Cauvery
rises at Talakaveri on the Brahmagiri Range of Hill in the Western Ghats, presently in the Coorg
district of the State of Karnataka. The catchment area of entire Cauvery Basin is 81,155 sq.
km. The project wise generation data of large hydro with installed capacity of the basin in the
latest year 2010-11.

Projects Inst Capacity (MW) Generation (MU) MU/MW

Shivasamudram 42 313 7.45
Mettur Dam 240 361 1.5
Lower Mettur 120 263 2.19
Kundah 555 1502 2.71
Moyar 36 156 4.33
Parson’s Valley 30 37 1.23
Bhawani Kattal 30 72 2.4
Pykara Dam 61.2 31 0.51
Pykara Ultimate 150 432 2.88
Total 1264.2 3167 2.51

HEP Performance in Cauvery River Basin

3.65

3.55

3.54
3.46

3.39

3.39
4
3.18

3.03
2.99
2.97

3.5
2.83
2.79

2.78

2.9
2.56
2.49

2.49

2.49
2.6
2.45

3
2.21
1.88

2.5
MU/MW

1.52
1.49

2
1.36

1.5
0.85

1
0.5
0
1985-86

1988-89
1989-90
1990-91
1991-92
1992-93
1993-94
1994-95
1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
1986-87
1987-88

Year

 The above graph shows the trend line of power generation of Big Hydropower projects for
last 26 years in the basin, the trend-line shows generation from existing hydro power
projects of Cauvery River Basin.
 It shows that the per MW generation in 2010-11 (2.49) has dropped by a huge 31.78% from
the highest per MW generation (3.65) achieved in the year 1991-92.
 All generation figures have been taken from official data of Central Electricity Authority
(CEA).

South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People (www.sandrp.in) December 2011
ht.sandrp@gmail.com