Idukki: With severe summer heat, water inflow through all diversion schemes has come to a halt, pushing the Idukki hydel project into crisis. The water level in the Idukki reservoir stood at 2,334.6 feet on Friday, which is only 34 percent of its total storage capacity.
Power Generation at Moolamattom
It is estimated that 734.421 million units of electricity can be generated using the available water. On Friday, 11.974 million units of power were generated at the Moolamattom powerhouse. Meanwhile, inflow from diversion schemes has completely stopped, with only enough water arriving at the dam to generate 1.651 million units of electricity.
Comparison with Last Year
The current water level is 10 feet lower compared to the same day last year, raising concerns among authorities. The Idukki project comprises the Kulamavu, Cheruthoni, and Idukki dams, spread over 60 square kilometers. The maximum storage level is 2,403 feet, with a capacity to store about 2 billion tonnes of water, of which 26 percent is dead storage.
Project Specifications and Current Status
The project, which contributes a major share of the state's hydroelectric power generation, has an installed capacity of 780 megawatts. It operates with six generators of 130 megawatts each. The underground powerhouse is located at Moolamattom. According to KSEB power generation executive engineer Jameela Beegum, the reservoir currently has water sufficient for about 70 days.
