Srisailam Project: Location, River, Water Supply, Features, Significance and Hydroelectric Power Generation

The Srisailam Project is among the most massive and significant multipurpose river valley projects of India, built on the Krishna River, at the border of the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The project is critical for generating hydroelectric power, irrigating land, supplying drinking water, controlling floods, and managing water resources. The official name of the project is the Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy Srisailam Project, which is key to the everyday life of millions of citizens, and vital for the development of the Krishna River basin in general.

What is the Srisailam Project?

The Srisailam Project is one of the significant dams, and hydropower projects built on the Krishna River near Srisailam. The project was built to utilize river water for different purposes, such as electricity generation, irrigation, drinking water supply, and flood prevention.

The project is recognized as one of the most remarkable engineering accomplishments in southern India because of its big storage capacity, powerful hydropower facilities, and good system of hydraulic canals.

Where is the Srisailam Project Located?

The Srisailam Dam is found on the Nallamala Hills along the border of two Indian states, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Features

• River: Krishna River
• State: Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
• Nearby Town: Srisailam
• District: Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh) and Nagarkurnool (Telangana)
• Range: Nallamala Hills
• Height: 300 metres approximately

The specific location of Srisailam makes it suitable for the creation of a huge storage reservoir for hydropower generation.

History of the Srisailam Project

The Srisailam Project was made for the purpose of utilizing water of the Krishna River for the benefit of Southern India.

Timeline of Events

• Date of Commencement: 1960
• Date of Completion of Main Dam: 26 July 1980
• Inauguration Date: 1981
• Name of the Project: Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy Srisailam Project.

Key Features of the Srisailam Scheme

Srisailam Project is counted among the biggest multipurpose river projects in India.

Major Attributes

• Built on the Krishna River
• Located between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
• Huge reservoir with a live storage capacity of around 178.74 TMC ft
• An important hydroelectricity source
• Provides irrigation facilities to various states
• Gives drinking water to several cities.
• Ensures flow regulation and flood management.

Srisailam Project Hydro Power Generation

Generating electricity is one of the main objectives of the Srisailam project.

It hosts the second major hydropower plant in the country based on total capacity in use.

Innate Power Factories

Left Bank Power Factory

• It is placed on the Telangana side.
• It produces hydroelectric power by using water supply from the reservoir.

Right Bank Power Plant

• It is located on the side of Andhra Pradesh.
• It is meant for producing electricity in large quantities.

The produced electricity is then supplied to the area of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The Importance of Srisailam Project in Irrigation

The water storage in the Srisailam Project is very important for irrigation to large agricultural areas.

Important Canal Systems

1. Right Bank Canal of Srisailam
2. Left Bank Canal of Srisailam

Right Bank Canal of Srisailam serves,

• Kurnool
• Nandyal
• Kadapa

Left Bank Canal of Srisailam serves,

• Region of Nalgonda
• Cultivated lands in Telangana
• Water supply projects

The irrigation system plays an important role in cultivating various crops such as food grains, pulses, and cotton.

Srisailam Project Water Supply

Besides providing irrigation facilities, this project is known for supplying drinking water.

The water supplied reaches.

Hyderabad

• Various areas in the state of Andhra Pradesh

Town in Telangana

• Chennai through the Telugu Ganga Project.
• The reservoir acts as an important source of drinking water during drought conditions.

Connections of Inter-basin Water Transfer Projects With Srisailam

The reservoir serves as a vital resource for various water transfer schemes.

Key Projects Associated With Srisailam

• Pothireddypadu Head Regulator,
• Handri-Neeva lift irrigation project,
• Telugu Ganga Project,

These projects are instrumental in transferring Krishna river water to water scarcity areas.

Importance of the Srisailam Reservoir

The reservoir has various roles to perform.

Key Functions

• Storage of water,
• Hydroelectric power generation,
• Providing irrigation,
• Providing drinking water,
• Flood control, and
• Drought management.

Due to its huge capacity, the reservoir has enough water available throughout the year.

Significance of the Srisailam Project

The Srisailam Project has immense economic and environmental importance.

Major Significance

• It supports agriculture in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
• Generates the renewable hydroelectric power
• Provides the drinking water to millions of people
• Controls floods in the Krishna basin
• It promotes regional economic development
• Strengthens the water security in southern India
• Supports industrial growth through reliable water supply
• Acts as a strategic water resource for interstate water management