News
Monday, March 17, 2008
River inflows lowest in 10 years
* Hydroelectric power production down by 1,000 MW a day
By Zafar Bhutta
ISLAMABAD: River system inflows on Saturday reached the lowest level in 10 years, lowering water in Tarbela to dead level, officials told Daily Times. River inflows in the first three months of 2008 have been lowest compared to the corresponding period in the last ten years, they said. The total inflow in rivers was recorded at 69,380 cusecs on Saturday, they said. The lowest level of inflows recorded in the last 10 years was 89,400 cusecs. The total outflows on Saturday were 23,384 cusecs. Water storage in Tarbela was recorded at 1,359 feet, which is the dead level. The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) is not storing any water in Tarbela and releasing all of its 19,300 cusecs inflow for irrigation. Water level in Mangla has increased because of an increased inflow from Jhelum River. Inflow in Mangla was 23,384 cusecs on Saturday and outflow 24,000 cusecs. The alarming decline in water levels is causing concerns about the last irrigation of Rabi crops and the sowing of Kharif crops, sources told Daily Times. But some officials expect the situation to normalise by March 25, when snow will begin to melt in the Northern Areas. Dams may then be able to store water for the irrigation of Kharif crops. IRSA will call an inter-provincial meeting in the last week of current month, sources said, to review the water situation for the Kharif crops. Hydroelectric power: Sources in the Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) said water releases for hydroelectric power production had been reduced from 29,000 cusecs to 18,000 cusecs after water reached dead level in Tarbela, lowering power production by 1,000 megawatts (MW) a day to 2,200 MW. Power generation by Independent Power Producers (IPPs) had reached a record 5,126 MW during the current year, they said. As per their agreements with the government, IPPs are bound to generate 5,728 MW of electricity. Sources said a shortage of gas was also causing a decline in power production. Thermal power generation plants were only getting 20 percent of their total requirement of gas, they added.
Courtesy Daily Times