• KPCL undertakes phased renovation of 1902
• Shivanasamudra Hydroelectric Power Station

Mysore/Mysuru:  Asia’s first hydro-electric power station, the historic Sir K. Seshadri Iyer Power Station, known as Shivanasamudra Hydroelectric Power Plant in Mandya district, is undergoing a major overhaul, with its 124-year-old turbines being refurbished to enhance power generation.

Established in 1900 and commissioned on June 30, 1902, the landmark project at Shivanasamudra across the Cauvery River marked the beginning of hydro power in Asia.

Now, the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) has initiated a phased renovation of all 10 turbines to improve efficiency and meet rising energy demand.

The plant presently has 10 turbines with an installed capacity of 42 MW (Mega Watts) and an annual generation target of 225 million units. However, fluctuating water availability has impacted output in recent years.

Phased restoration

Speaking to Star of Mysore, M. Anitha, Executive Engineer (Operation and Management), Shivanasamudra Station, explained that the refurbishment is being carried out in stages as shutting down all turbines simultaneously is not feasible.

“In the first stage, turbines 7 and 9 were restored. In the second stage, turbines 2 and 10 were completed. The third stage involved turbines 5, 6 and 8. Currently, stage four, involving turbines 1, 3 and 4 is underway,” she said.

Each stage takes about four to five months to complete. With the monsoon expected to commence in May, the ongoing phase may extend a few more months. The entire renovation is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026.

International collaboration

Global technology group ANDRITZ has signed a contract with KPCL for the project. The scope includes the supply of turbine equipment and auxiliaries, spiral casing, draft tube elbow and cone, cooling water systems and the refurbishment of electrical, excitation, governor, protection and control systems.

The company is also undertaking inspection, installation and overhauling of generators, and testing of all 10 units. The order is being executed by ANDRITZ Hydro India at its manufacturing facilities in Mandideep, Bhopal and Prithla near Faridabad.

Though Executive Engineer Anitha did not disclose the exact project cost, sources indicated that the total expenditure is expected to reach Rs. 103 crore.

Fluctuating generation

The station’s annual output has shown sharp variations in recent years. It produced 255.502 million units (MU) in 2020-21 and 252.977 MU in 2021-22.

Output increased to 267.704 MU in 2022-23, before dropping to 156.480 MU in 2023-24 and further declining to 116.437 MU in 2024-25. In 2025-26, it produced 155 MU till date. The project’s maximum annual generation capacity is 367.92 MU.

During summer, the plant remains largely inactive due to water shortages. “We generate only about 20 million units, with the remaining water released from the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam after supply to Bengaluru is lifted upstream. Once all turbines are operational, the plant can produce 225 million units of power,” Anitha explained.

A historic legacy

The hydroelectric project was conceived by the Maharaja of Mysore and executed with the engineering brilliance of Sir M. Visvesvaraya. Its success marked a turning point in Karnataka’s industrial growth, supplying surplus power to the Kolar Gold Fields and making Bengaluru the first city in India to be electrified in 1905.

More than a century later, the Shivanasamudra Station continues to stand as a symbol of Karnataka’s early embrace of renewable energy, now entering a new chapter through                             modernisation.