Sunday, May 13, 2012
Gulf News
Thiruvananthapuram At a time when Kerala is reeling from a power shortage and fighting with neighbouring Tamil Nadu for a share of power from soon-to-be commissioned Kudankulam nuclear plant, a small remote village in the hilly Idukki district of the state has emerged as a role model by setting up its own power plant.
The scenic Mankulam village has set up the Rs30 million (Dh2.3 million) 110kW power station by tapping a waterfall. It took nearly ten years to complete the dream project of the 1,500-odd villagers.
Shiji George, president of the village council, said that the project was commissioned with technical and financial help of Energy Management Centre, Steel Industries Kerala Ltd (Silk) and the Thiruvananthapuram centre of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido).
“This will help in adding momentum to the development of this backward village,’’ she said.
Additional income
She said that the village council would now provide power connection to 250 families and 50 offices including the village council itself. The excess electricity would be sold to Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), the government agency which monopolises the power sector, at a price of Rs2.90 per unit. The village council envisages that it could earn an additional income of Rs2 million annually by selling electricity to KSEB.
The village was a totally unelectrified area till a few months back and only recently the solar power energised a small portion of the village and now the village has created a development model by selling electricity, Shiji said.
State Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammad who commissioned the project said that many villages had tried in vain to produce power but only Mankulam had succeeded. He said that appreciating this achievement, KSEB would exempt the village from power cut introduced in the wake of severe power shortage.
He also promised a power house to the village for the effective distribution of power.
Shiji said that steps would be initiated soon to tap nearly 15 waterfalls in the village for power generation and thus the village would soon emerge as a major power seller.
By K. Jayaprakash?Correspondent
Gulf News 2012. All rights reserved.
