On August 23, 2024, the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Ahalia School of Engineering organized an industrial visit to the Meenvallom Hydroelectric Power Plant in Palakkad district, Kerala. Students from the second-year (2023- 2027), third-year (2022-2026), and fourth-year (2021-2025) Mechanical Engineering program took part in the visit. The Meenvallom hydroelectric project is a micro hydroelectric project initiated by the Palakkad District Panchayat and has an installed capacity of three megawatts. The project is a run-of-the-river scheme featuring a dam with a height of 6.5 meters and a length of 59.8 meters. Water from the reservoir is channeled through a 582-meter-long penstock pipe to drive two horizontal Pelton wheel turbines. These turbines power two 1500 kW, 3.3 kV, 50 Hz synchronous generators located in a powerhouse on the riverbank. The generated 3.3 kV supply is stepped up to 11 kV and transmitted to the nearby 110 kV substation at Kalladikode. After power generation, the tailrace water is returned to the river. A total of 42 students took part in the visit, which was designed to expand
their practical knowledge and provide valuable industrial exposure. Mr. Rajesh V, Assistant Engineer at the Meenvallom Hydroelectric Power Plant, provided students with detailed insights into the various machines and processes involved in hydroelectric power generation. The visit was coordinated by Mr. Dheeraj P, with Mr. Dhanesh S, Mr. Jishnoop J, and Mr. Venkitesh K S accompanying the students throughout the visit.
