Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project (PSHP)

Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project Latest News

Karnataka government’s ambitious Sharavathi pumped storage hydroelectric project (PSHP) has ignited fierce debate with environmentalists and locals warning of irreversible ecological damage to the fragile Western Ghats ecosystem.

About Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project

• It is a pumped storage power project on the Sharavathi River in Karnataka.
• The Sharavathi River serves as a crucial source of hydroelectric power in Karnataka, and this project, with its planned total power generation capacity of 2000 MW, stands as the largest pumped storage power generation unit in the country.
• PSHP will be built between two existing reservoirs. 
  • The Talakalale dam, which stands at 62.48 meters tall, will be the upper reservoir.
  • This dam currently helps balance water for the existing Sharavathy hydroelectric project.
  • The Gerusoppa dam will be the lower reservoir, and it is about 64 meters tall. 
• Water will be pumped uphill during the off-season using grid power and released downhill during peak demand to generate electricity. 
• Modelled on the lines of Telangana’s Kaleshwaram project, it also aims to supply drinking water to Bengaluru. 
• Five tunnels and eight pumping stations are critical parts of the plan.

Key Facts about Sharavathi River

• It is a river in the western Karnataka state.
• It is one of the few rivers in India, which flows in the west direction. 
• A large part of the river basin lies in the Western Ghats.
• Course:
  • Rising in the Western Ghats, it flows in a northwesterly direction to the Arabian Sea at Honavar in Uttara Kannada District. 
  • The length of the river is 128 km, and the river basin covers 2,985 sq km.
  • On its way, the Sharavathi forms the Jog Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in India, where the river falls from a height of 253 m. 
• Diverse geological features mark the river’s course, including rocky outcrops, fertile plains, and deep gorges.
• Major Tributaries: Nandihole, Haridravathi, Mavinahole, Hilkunji, Yennehole, Hurlihole, and Nagodihole.

Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project FAQs

Q1. Where is Sharavathi pumped storage project?

Ans. It is located on the Sharavathi River in Karnataka.

Q2. On which river, jog waterfalls located?

Ans. Sharavathi River forms the Jog Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in India.

Q3. What is Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH)?

Ans. PSH is a type of hydroelectric energy storage that consists of two water reservoirs at different elevations

Source: TWIRE