Facing a wave of public protests over the proposed Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats, officials from the Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. (KPCL), the agency spearheading the initiative, have come forward to clarify their stance. They affirmed that the project is designed for minimal forest disruption.
Led by Shilpa D. Raj, KPCL’s Chief Engineer (Civil Design), a team of officials presented details of the project to the media in Shivamogga on Monday, engaging in a direct dialogue about its merits and safeguards.
The KPCL has been diligently working on this project since 2017, having sought and received in-principle approval from the National Board for Wildlife. The necessary environmental, forest, and wildlife clearances from the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change are currently in advanced stages of processing.
The core objective of the project is to generate a substantial 2,000 MW of power by strategically utilizing two existing reservoirs within the Sharavathi valley. V.M. Vijay Kumar, an Executive Engineer who delivered a key presentation, explained the rationale behind the chosen location. “Implementing this project elsewhere would have drastically increased costs and infrastructure demands, inevitably leading to extensive deforestation. Our decision to build here leverages the pre-existing Talakalale and Gerusoppa reservoirs, which were constructed decades ago, significantly reducing the environmental footprint,” he stated.
He further elaborated on the operational mechanism: “During periods of excess power, water will be pumped from the Gerusoppa reservoir up to Talakalale, storing approximately 0.37 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) of water. This stored water will then serve as a vital energy reserve, allowing us to generate 2,000 MW for over six hours, specifically targeting peak electricity demand times.”
Initially, the project was projected to require 142 hectares of land and necessitate the felling of around 16,000 trees. However, following a directive from the Wildlife Board to minimize tree loss, the KPCL has revised its plans. “We have re-engineered the project to save an additional 3,500 trees, and we are communicating these updated details to the Board,” the officer confirmed. He also mentioned that KPCL has addressed concerns raised by Praneetha Paul, the Deputy Inspector General of Forest (DIGF), whose inspection report had previously expressed reservations about the project.
In a collaborative effort with the Forest Department, KPCL plans to establish ‘green canopies’ at the project site to facilitate safe passage for the critically endangered lion-tailed macaque. Mr. Vijay Kumar added, “The Forest Department has pinpointed crucial movement corridors for these animals. Concurrently, we will integrate culverts into our design as part of a comprehensive animal passage strategy.”
Addressing Water Flow Concerns
Responding to anxieties regarding the project’s potential impact on water flow in the Sharavathi valley, the officer reassured that the system requires a one-time pump of only 0.37 TMC of water, which can then be reused for up to 60 years. “The Linganmakki Dam alone collects approximately 151 TMC of water annually during the monsoon. Water is consistently released into the river throughout the year after power generation at the Sharavathi Generating Station, Mahatma Gandhi Hydroelectric Station, Linganmakki Dam Power House, and Gerusoppa Dam Power House. Therefore, the natural river flow will remain unaffected,” he concluded.
Also present at the press conference were M. Madesh, Chief Engineer (Civil), H.R. Ramesh, Chief Engineer (Electrical), and Suresh K., Superintending Engineer of KPTCL.