Chief Of Kali Gandaki Hydropower project Shreeram Raj Pandey said high alert has been sounded in areas near the project's dam on Sunday. To avoid damage, the project had released water from its dam, which is around six kilometers long. With this, the hydropower project has halted power generation from 12 pm on Sunday."We decided to halt power generation for the time being as precautionary measure," said Tulasi Sapkota, administrative chief of the project adding, "It will take more than four hours for the outflows to reach the site in case the Kali Gandaki reservoir give way."
Although the project can take necessary precautions to minimize damage within four hours. Sapkota said they decided not to take chances by continuing power generation.
According to him, they began reducing the water level in the dam from 3:30 am. As soon s they were informed about the blockade in Kali Gandaki River due to the landslide, the water-level in the dam was reduced to 518 m from 521 m.
The water level has been maintained at 518m till the veining, informed engineer Arjun Kandel. "We have adopted the strategy keeping in view possible flood occurrence," said the engineer.
Assistant engineer Kaman Kunwar informed that the Kali Gandaki dam can withstand pressure of up to 6400 meter cube per second. He, however, said they cannot ascertain the level of pressure the landslide-created reservoir of Kafal Dada of Myagdi can possibly exert if it gives way.
The halt of electricity production can create a loss of 122 megawat per hour, according to Kunwar.
According to the project, each gate of the dam site has been tested and are in good condition. Maintenance of the diversion gate no. 1 of the dam was carried out on Saturday.
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