With the water level in all major hydel power stations, including Idukki, fast depleting in the absence of adequate rains during the initial phase of the monsoon, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has now brought down power generation at these stations. At the same time, the generation has been temporarily restricted at the Sabarigiri and Idamalayar hydel stations.
A senior KSEB official told The Hindu that power generation continued at a lower level to ensure the minimum storage in reservoirs, including Idukki. “Now low-cost power is available in the market and we are following a ‘reserve shutdown mode’ at Sabarigiri and Idamalayar power stations to conserve the water. Sometimes, power generation is temporarily stopped at small hydel stations to keep the existing water level. This is to also ensure the availability of water for drinking water projects,” said the official.
A KSEB dam safety wing official said that a high-level meeting by the power utility has decided to keep maximum storage in major hydel dams, including Idukki, after the latest weather forecast predicted low rain in July. “If the storage is low in hydel dams, power companies should raise the tariff for usage during peak hours. Now, the Moolamattom power plant generates power only during peak hours,” said the official.
Power generation on Wednesday at the Moolamattom power plant stood at 2.363 million units (MU). On Tuesday, it was 1.402 MU. Power generation at Sabarigiri and Idamalayar on Tuesday was nil. The total hydel power production in the State on Wednesday was 9.4744 MU.
According to State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) data, the expected inflow of water at the major hydel dams till Thursday for the month of June was expected to generate 736.848 MU of power. However, the reservoirs received water only for 205.011 MU. The storage in the major hydel dams on Thursday was 15% of the total storage capacity. It was 31% on the same day last year.
According to KSEB dam safety wing officials, the water level, however, has been slowly increasing in the hydel dams, including Idukki, in the last two days. The water level in the Idukki reservoir was 2305.98 ft on Thursday which is 14.06% of the total storage capacity. It was 2305.72 ft on Wednesday, 13.89% of the total capacity.
