The 60 MW Kurichhu hydropower station in Gyalpoizhing, Mongar, has shut down for eight days starting February 11, to allow Bhutan Power Corporation Limited (BPCL) to do maintenance work on substations and transmission lines in the eastern region. This means eight eastern and central dzongkhags, including Sarpang and Zhemgang, will not receive power supply from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm until February 18. The executive director of transmission department, K B Wakhley, told Kuensel that every effort was being made to minimise the power shutdown period. "We purposely chose this period as it was the lean season with less water in flow and would not have any impact on the Kurichhu hydro project,' he said, adding that other factors like weather condition and school reopening were also considered. To shorten maintenance time, BPCL workers from Phuntsholing, Thimphu and Tsimalakha have been deployed to Kurichhu. "But it takes at least two days for the workers to reach the site,' said the executive director, adding that time was required while coordinating with the substations to restore power. Meanwhile, except for Trashigang, which receives alternate power supply from the Rangjung micro station, most of these dzongkhags will fall back on diesel generators. According to the officiating executive engineer of Kurichhu Hydroelectric Project, Sujan Rai, the power shutdown was being done on request from BPCL on a "daily returnable basis'. "Meaning, every day they will have to wind up maintenance work by 4:30 pm, so that power can be supplied up to eight in the morning,' he said. Kurichhu officials said the shutdown would not result in losses for Kurichhu. "It won't have any impact on the power or revenue generation as the water inflow is not enough to run the machines,' said Sujan Rai. The project has four turbines that can generate 15 MW each. "In fact, during shutdown we store water up to required reserve levels, so that there is full generation right after maintenance work. Moreover the peak period of power consumption is after 4:30 pm, so there is no loss at all,' he said. Maintenance work is usually carried out during the lean period, from September to March, so that with the onset of monsoon, machines are ready to carry full load without problems. During peak season, because of the huge inflow of water, any kind of shutdown can result in huge generation losses. Sujan Rai said shutdowns were also carried out to maintain transmission lines, avoid breakdown of equipment and flush out logs and debris. Power was also imported from the Indian grid in Salakati in Assam when required. In most cases, power was imported during the lean season when generation fell short of domestic demand, which had increased because of new power intensive industries, and when the plant shut down for maintenance. While the amount varied, in the month of January, 328.90 MWH of power was imported from India. By Kesang Dema kesang64@kuensel.com.bt