As the summer season draws to a close, the Idukki reservoir with a high level of water storage is a cause for concern. With the impending southwest monsoon, there are many worried faces in Idukki, given the experience of floods in the past two years.
The water level in the dam was 2,346.53 ft on Monday, 42% of the total reservoir level. The maximum storage level is 2,403 ft.
The low level of generation at the Moolamattom power house, attributed to technical problems of generators and the lockdown, has resulted in a better storage level in the reservoir. A Kerala State Electricity Board official says there has been a reduction in demand due to the lockdown, pushing down power generation.
The Idukki dam is reserved for power generation during the peak season in summer. The largest dam in the State can hold 52.8% of the total storage capacity of the dams in the State. The water storage reaches the lowest level by May and goes up once the monsoon gains strength. With the district witnessing good summer rain, the inflow to the Periyar has picked up.
There were allegations that water released from the Idukki reservoir in August 2018 led to large-scale devastation in downstream areas, including Kochi. There was storage of 25% prior to the monsoon in 2018 and it neared the maximum storage level by the end of July. In 2019, authorities reduced the water level to 19.5% in view of the monsoon season. The failure to use the storage during the peak season also disadvantages the KSEB as it has to purchase power at a high rate.
Technical hitch
When contacted, an official at the power house said there was a technical hitch in generator 6 which had been under trial and it would be rectified in two weeks. Though power generation had been increased from 5 million units (mu) to 8 mu from April 23, the minimum water level to be reached was 36%.
Earlier this year, two generators underwent repairs, affecting power generation.
