In a major decisive move, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday announced that the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project is vital to meeting the state’s future electricity requirements and that the government would pursue its implementation.
He was speaking after inaugurating the 57th Foundation Day celebrations of Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) held at the Jnana Jyothi Auditorium of Bengaluru City University on Palace Road. “The groundwork for the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project had been initiated long ago, but it did not materialise then.
Efforts are now underway to implement it, and the required statutory clearances are being obtained. Although some people are raising objections, we will not retreat from a project that is crucial for the state,” he said. Recalling a similar experience, the Chief Minister said that when KPCL proposed the gas-based power plant at Yelahanka, there was considerable opposition.
However, the project was implemented in the state's interest and is now generating electricity. Referring to the Pavagada Solar Park, Shivakumar said that instead of purchasing land from farmers, they were made stakeholders in the project, making it a model for the entire country.
The park is currently generating 2,000 MW of electricity, and farmers in the region have now come forward to provide another 10,000 acres for its expansion. Work on the expansion will begin shortly. “The state government is providing free electricity to 1.61 crore households under the Gruha Jyothi Scheme, and KPCL has played a vital role in making the scheme a success.
The government spends around Rs 10,000 crore annually on Gruha Jyothi. Similarly, it provides Rs 20,000 crore every year as subsidy for free electricity to agricultural pump sets. Together, these two initiatives have resulted in savings of nearly Rs 30,000 crore for the people of the state,” the Chief Minister added.
Calling upon everyone to contribute to Karnataka’s progress, Shivakumar said KPCL employees should take pride in being “Team Karnataka” and work together for the state's development and prosperity. It can be noted that the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydropower Project (SPSHP) is a proposed pumped-storage power plant to be built along the course of the Sharavathi River in the Western Ghats.
It would have an installed capacity of 2,000 MWe and would use Francis turbines. The project was put on hold and is under review by the Government of India citing environmental concerns. If built, it would be one of the largest pumped storage hydroelectric projects in the country.
Around 15,000 trees across 57 hectares of land were planned to be cut down for the project, many of which are endangered or threatened species, potentially leading to an ecological disaster. Environmental activists have opposed the project and demanded that the Central Government Gazette cancel it completely.