Erratic rainfall this monsoon season has impacted the water level of the Idukki reservoir, where the water level on Thursday is only 34% of the full reservoir level. The catchment area of the dam recorded 72 mm rainfall on Thursday and 5.4 mm the previous day.
An official at the Dam Monitoring and Research Station, Vazhathoppe, said the water level in the dam was 2,334 ft on Thursday, an increase of below one ft from the previous day. The power generation at the Moolamattom powerhouse was at a low of 2.21 mu. There was a shortfall of nearly 40% in southwest monsoon in the district and in the high ranges, where most of the dams are located, it was below average.
The Mullaperiyar dam, upstream of the Idukki dam, also recorded poor rainfall. In both Idukki and Mullaperiyar dams, the water level was below the normal level recorded at the end of July. As on Thursday, the water level was 114 ft in the Mullaperiyar dam, where the maximum storage level is 142 ft.
The Central Water Commission has fixed a new rule curve level for dams in the wake of the 2018 floods . The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) monitors the dams to keep the water level below the new rule curve level. The level was 2,380.58 ft at the Idukki dam as on Thursday.
A senior KSEB official said as the water level in all hydroelectric dams was way below the new rule curve level, there was no possibility of opening the dams in the present situation.
Electricity Minister M.M. Mani The Hindu that the average reservoir level of State dams was below 30%. “There is a chance of a crisis on the power front if rainfall is deficient. However, it can be compensated as there is availability of power from outside sources. With the realisation of the Udumalpet-Madakkathara double circuit lines, it is now possible to avail enough power as per the State demand,” he said.