Copious rain in the last few days in the Malnad region of the State has been a boon to the power sector as the storage in the three major hydel reservoirs has increased by an encouraging 10 per cent in a short period of July 1 to 6.
The cumulative storage of the three hydel reservoirs — the Linganamakki, Mani and Supa — saw a jump from 23.69 per cent on July 1 to 34.02 per cent by 8 a.m. on July 6. According to an official of Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. (KPCL), this is the first time in the last few years that the hydel storage has crossed the one-third mark in the first week of July itself. It is customary that the southwest monsoon gains momentum in Karnataka only in the latter part of June and these reservoirs get filled up by August-end.
This has brightened the hopes of the power sector as the three reservoirs had a cumulative storage of only 13.05 per cent at this time in the previous year when the State was reeling under severe drought. The present storage level in the three hydel reservoirs can help generate 2,956 million units (MU) of power as against 1,134 MU in the corresponding period of the previous year. This would mean that the present hydel storage is more than double that of the previous year’s in terms of power generation potential.
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In addition, the rain has also eased the power supply situation as demand for power has reduced mainly because farmers are not operating their irrigation pump sets, which account for about 30 per cent of the State’s daily consumption.
KPTCL Managing Director P. Selvakumar told The Hindu the State’s daily consumption, which had touched a high of about 185 MU during the summer peak of April reduced to 150.68 MUs on Friday. Compared with the previous year, it is a relief for the power sector as the long dry spell had kept the consumption high at around 163 MU in the first week of July.