The erstwhile Mysore State had
the enviable and glorious position of establishing the first major hydro-electric
generating station at Shivasamudram as early as 1902 for commercial operation. The art at
that time was still in its infancy, even in the advanced countries. The longest
transmission line, at the highest voltage in the world, was constructed to meet the power
needs of mining operations at Kolar Gold Fields
The
generating capacity of the Shivasamudram Power House gradually increased to 42 MW in
stages. To meet the increasing demand for power, the Shimsha Generating Station, with an
installed capacity of 17.2 M.W, was commissioned in the year 1938. The power demand was
ever on the increase, for industries and rural electrification, and additions to
generating became imperative. The 1st stage of 48 MW and 2nd stage
of 72 MW of the Mahatma Gandhi Hydro-Electric Station were commissioned during 1948 and
1952, respectively.
Subsequently,
the Bhadra Project, with an installed capacity of 33.2 MW, and the Thungabhadra Left Bank
Power House, with an installed capacity of 27 MW at Munirabad were commissioned during
1964 and 1965, respectively.
The
State of Karnataka, with availability of cheap electric power, and other infrastructure
facilities, was conducive for increased tempo of industrial activity. It became necessary
therefore, to augment power generating capacity by harnessing the entire potential of the
Sharavathi Valley. The first unit of 89.1 MW was commissioned in 1964 and completed in
1977.
The
demand for power saw a phenomenal increase in the mid sixties and onwards with the setting
up of many public sector and private industries in the State. As power generation in the
State was entirely dependent on monsoon and was subject to its vagaries, the State
Government set up a coal based power plant at Raichur. The present installed capacity of
the power plant at Raichur is 1260 MWs.
To
augment the energy resources of the State, the Kalinadi Project with an installed capacity
of 810MW at Nagjhari Power House and 100 MW at Supa Dam Power House, with an energy
potential of 4,112 Mkwh, were set up.
The
transmission and distribution system in the State was under the control of the Government
of Karnataka (then Mysore) till the year 1957. In the year 1957, Karnataka Electricity
Board was formed and the private distribution companies were amalgamated with Karnataka
Electricity Board.
Till
the year 1986, KEB was a profit making organisation. However, in the subsequent years,
like other State Electricity Boards in the country, KEB also started incurring losses,
mainly due to the increase in agricultural consumption and due to the implementation of
the socio economic policies of the Government, the performance of the power sector was
affected.
To
improve the performance of the power sector and in tune with the reforms initiated by
Government of India, the Government of Karnataka came out with a general policy proposing
fundamental and radical reforms in the power sector. Accordingly a bill, namely Karnataka
Electricity Reforms Act was passed by the Karnataka Legislature. The Reform bill has
mandated major restructuring of the Karnataka Electricity Board and its Corporatisation.
As part of Corporatisation, the Karnataka Electricity Board ceased to exist and the
Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited to look after Transmission and
Distribution in the State and VVNL (Visweshwaraiah Vidyuth Nigama Limited) to look after
the generating stations under the control of erstwhile Karnataka Electricity Board were
constituted from 01.08.99. |
