Balimela Hydel Project-—Part I

The scheme—a joint venture of the States of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh-—envisions a carry-over reservoir at Balimela Dam on Sileru. The regulated releases from the reservoir will be equally shared and idependently utilised by either State for power production and irrigation. The Government of Orissa contemplate installation of 480 MW at Balimela power house and providing annual irrigation to 1,23,000 hectares of land in the Malkangiri sub-division of Koraput District through inter-basin diversion of its share of waters; and the Government of Andhra Pradesh contemplate pro-rata installation of 650 MW on the run of the river and increasing the double crop potential in the Godavari delta. Herein is presented a brief description of the planning, design, and construction aspects of the joint reservoir project and the power project of Orissa which is integrally and concurrently executed with the reservoir project.