AP government writes to Krishna Board, asks to suspend power generation by Telangana from Srisailam

The Andhra Pradesh government has asked the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to immediately suspend power generation by Telangana GENCO from the Srisailam reservoir. To this end, the State Water Resources Department Engineer-in-Chief C. Narayana Reddy wrote a letter to the KRMB member secretary on Thursday.

Narayana Reddy said in the letter that Telangana GENCO has been unilaterally using water from Srisailam Left Hydro Electric Station to generate electricity since the 1st of this month, though KRMB has not issued water release orders. The minimum drawing level is 834 feet. From less than 808.40 feet, Telangana GENCO has been using water for power generation since the 1st of this month.

The Andhra Pradesh government has said that 8.89 TMCs have flowed into Srisailam Reservoir so far. Of which 3 TMCs i.e. 34 percent water has been used for power generation by Telangana GENCO. Narayana Reddy said in the letter that the water level in the reservoir was drying up due to the use of water by Telangana GENCO even though there was no need for water and it would take a long time for the water level in the reservoir to rise. He expressed concern that this would lead to severe delays in the supply of drinking water to Chennai, SRBC, KC Canal, and GNSS. He said seven thousand cusecs could be drawn if the reservoir was at least 854 feet.

Narayana Reddy alleged that Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar had to use water for irrigation and electricity purposes as per the directions of the Krishna River Management Board except during floods, but on the contrary, Telangana GENCO was using water from the Srisailam reservoir to generate electricity. He demanded an immediate cessation of power generation by Telangana GENCO from Srisailam Reservoir, which is against the operation protocol and instructions from the Krishna river management.