Megha Engineering and Infrastructure (MEIL) has reportedly secured contract from the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) for the 2GW Sharavathy pumped storage power project in the South Indian state of Karnataka.
According to various reports, the Hyderabad-based infrastructure company prevailed in the bidding process for the project, which saw the participation of major companies, including Larsen and Toubro (L&T).
Megha Engineering and Infrastructure has been quoted by The Economic Times, as saying: “It also saw L&T`s stiff resistance as they moved Supreme Court over it but their plea was rejected and the contract awarded to MEIL”
To be built in the Shimoga and Uttara Kannada districts, the Sharavathy pumped storage power project is estimated to entail an investment of more than INR80bn ($960m).
The proposed project is planned as an additional installation that leverages the existing Sharavathy system consisting of Liganamakhi, Talakalale, and Gerusoppa dams.
For the Sharavathy pumped storage project, the Talakalale dam will act as upper dam and Gerusoppa as lower dam without any changes to these structures.
Besides, the proposed intake of the pumped storage project is located at a separate location away from the existing intake of the existing 1.03GW Sharavathy hydroelectric project.
The Sharavathy pumped storage project, which will have a design energy generation of 4,380GWh, involves minimum civil works. These are slated to be completed in five years.
Currently, the Sharavathy river is said to facilitate the generation of a significant portion of nearly 1.47GW or 40% of Karnataka’s hydropower by using seven existing dams and five tunnels.
Earlier this year, India’s state-run hydropower company NHPC planned to invest around INR40bn in the proposed 750MW Kuppa pumped hydro storage project, located at Chhota Udaipur, Gujarat.
