Study of Hydropower Potential at Khanpur Dam

Abstract

The recent continuous price hike of electric power has the planners/managers to develop indigenous resources of energy like hydropower. A comprehensive inventory of hydropower schemes having small, medium and large potential site with low head and high head have been prepared. A large portion of identified potential is economical and environment friendly. The developed countries have almost developed their major potential of hydropower from large to small size resources being economical to produce electricity. As number of small hydel potential sites are available, there is need to develop those as they would be economical with less gestation period and can be implemented with ease. This present study is meant to plan a low head hydel station near Khanpur Dam at the right side of left bank canal (LBC) at RD 4 + 00 at baffle chute, by considering sites condition. Besides technical aspects, the economic, financial and environmental aspects, have also been considered. Hydrological data of left bank canal from khanpur dam for the year 2004 to 2009 have been collected and using those discharge power generation and energy have been calculated for estimation of benefits and pattern of available power. For design discharge of 262 cusecS and gross head of 14.14 m, 0.92 MW power has been proposed. The project has been estimated to a total cost of 960124$ (US dollars). The study has been checked for its economic viability and internal rate of return at 12 % discount factor, has come out to be 42% with benefit cost ratio of 2.92. The results generated showed the sound economic viability with equivalent diesel generation. Finally the environmental aspect of the proposed hydropower has been discussed. Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) was conducted for its evaluation which depicted that no major change in terms of noise, socio-economic, aquatic, wildlife, deforestation, dust etc. will be observed and has very minute impacts with mitigating measures. The results of the present study are very encouraging and are attractive to public and private sector for project implementation. The study will be used by the agencies to invest at their specific site. The proposed project has no problem of land compensation and other mitigation measures. Therefore there will be no problem to start the project at any stage