Lower Mettur Hydroelectric Project

Lower Mettur Hydroelectric Project is erected in the Cauvery River of Mettur town in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu. The hydroelectric project is commissioned during the years from 1987 to 1989. The total installed capacity of power plant is 120 MW. The basin of power plant is Cauvery and the hydroelectric basin of the plant is East Flowing Rivers. The source of water for the generation of power in the lower mettur hydroelectric project is from the water released from Barrages downstream of Mettur dam. The status of this power plant is completed and is running. The power project is constructed in the Southern Hydroelectric Region of the nation. The hydroelectric development type of plant is Storage. The type of powerhouse is surface and the structure type is as that of a Dam. The powerhouse is positioned in the Dam Toe. The river source for the generation of power is Cauvery River.

The power plant is owned by the Tamil Nadu Government and the operator of the power plant is Tamil Nadu State Electricity Board. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala are the beneficiary states of the plant. The power project is completed in 1946 and soon it started its operations. The type of turbine used in the plant is Bulb. The maker of both Turbine and Generator of the power plant is by the Fuji Electric Company Japan. There are four turbines in the plant and the installed capacity of the plant is 10 MW. The unit sizes of plant are 40 MW having four units and all the units are commissioned.

How to Reach: Mettur Dam railway station is the nearest railway station and Peelamedu Airport in Coimbatore is the nearest Airport. You can easily get regular buses to power station from Mettur and also from other major cities of the country.

Project Details:

• Name of Project – Lower Mettur Hydroelectric Project

• Commission Date – 1987-1989

• Approved Capacity in MW – 120 MW

• Installed Capacity in MW – 120 MW

• Basin - Cauvery

• Hydroelectric Basin - East Flowing Rivers

• Type of Project – Major (> 25 MW)

• Type of Plant – Water discharged from Barrages downstream of Mettur dam

• Hydroelectric Project Status – Completed and Working

• Hydroelectric Region – Southern Hydroelectric Region

• Hydroelectric Development Type – Storage

• Type of Powerhouse - Surface

• Structure Type – Dam

• Position of Powerhouse – Dam Toe

• River – Cauvery River

• Owner – State Government

• Operating Company – Tamil Nadu State Electricity Board

• Address – Mettur, Salem, Tamil Nadu, India

• Nearest City - Salem

• District - Salem

• State – Tamil Nadu

• Contact Number – 044-28520409

• Email – cehe@tnebnet.org

• Website – www.tangedco.gov.in

• Beneficiary States/ Union Territories – Tamil Nadu and its nearby states

• Completion of Power Project – 1946

• Turbine Type - Bulb

• Turbine Manufacturer - Fuji Electric Company Japan

• Generator Manufacturer - Fuji Electric Company Japan

• Number of Turbines – 4

• Capacity per Turbine – 10 MW

• Unit Sizes – 40 MW

• Total Units – 4

• Units Commissioned – All the four units are commissioned