Karnataka stares at power crisis in next 20 days

April 25, 2016

Bengaluru, Apr 25: Drastic depletion of water in Karnataka's reservoirs is set to hit power generation, making the state vulnerable in the simmering summer.

According to Bescom and KPTCL officials, the hydel reservoirs in the state will last for just 20 days while thermal generation stations, already under stress, are also staring at depleting water levels in their reservoirs.

karnatakaelectricity

Bengaluru needs 2400-2500 MW, which is 49% of the total power generated in the state. Bescom is already facing a shortage of 100-150 MW because of damage to an underground cable. Bescom and KPTCL are striving to fix the problem. Officials said it could take another 10 to 15 days to restore the underground cable. Every day, Bescom is receiving about 2,500 complaints, mostly from Bengaluru, because of the technical snag.

But the bigger challenge for both the companies will be to manage the power demand and supply in wake of water crises. “The water (for power generation) in the dams will last only for 20 days. About 1200 MW is generated from Sharavathi and Linganamakki, of which 1000 MW is from Sharavathi. If these stop, then there will be power crisis in Bengaluru and state. We are waiting for rains,” the official said.

Recently, Energy Minister D K Shivakumar admitted before the media that unless there is rainfall, there will be power crises in the wake of water shortage across the state.

However, Additional Chief Secretary (Energy) K Ravi Kumar maintained that there will be no power crisis in the city and state. “We have water to manage till June 15. There is water for drinking and also power generation. Water supply is stopped for irrigation. In case of thermal stations too, there is no problem as water will be released from Tungabhadra and Narayanapura dams,'' he maintained.

Comments

priyanka
 - 
Monday, 25 Apr 2016

all difficulties must be tolerated by the people of karnataka, CM, and other politicians has 24x7 supply of all the facilities.

jeevan
 - 
Monday, 25 Apr 2016

what? water crisis is happening all over in between power cut, karnataka govt should stop selling power to the other states.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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