Inflow into Idukki dam very low, power generation a concern

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 Idukki reservoir stood at 2,334.6ft on Friday, which is only 34% of its total storage capacity.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 Moolamattom power house. Meanwhile, inflow from diversion schemes has completely stopped, with only enough water arriving at the dam to generate 1.651 million units of electricity.The current water level is 10ft lower compared to the same day last year, raising concerns. The Idukki project comprises Kulamavu, Cheruthoni, and Idukki dams, spread over 60sq km. The maximum storage level is 2,403ft, with a capacity to store about 2 billion tonnes of water, of which 26% is dead storage. The project, which contributes a major share of state's hydroelectric power generation, has an installed capacity of 780MW. It operates with six generators of 130MW each. The underground power house is located at Moolamattom.According to KSEB power generation executive engineer Jameela Beegum, the reservoir currently has water sufficient for about 70 days.