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Due to the monsoon deficit of 44%, dams’ power generation capacity has dwindled drastically while power consumption has shot up
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has recorded a 44 per cent deficit in the South West monsoon, which is expected to go up to 60 per cent by the end of August, exacerbating the state’s power shortage.
Water levels of major dams in Kerala have plunged to critically low due to scanty rains in their catchment areas.
As of August 15, the collective water levels of all reservoirs average at a meager 37 per cent. The state’s largest dam, Idukki, currently holds only 31 per cent of its water capacity, affecting power generation as the water level has plummeted to 2332 feet.
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The state government is spending ₹10-₹15 crore daily to purchase electricity.
Electricity minister K Krishnan Kutty noted that the state’s power supply is hanging by a thread, necessitating reliance on externally sourced electricity due to the dwindling reservoir levels brought about by a lackluster monsoon.
“With only 30 per cent of water remaining in our dams, the increased temperature has spurred electricity consumption. Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is incurring daily expenditures ranging from ₹10 crore to ₹15 crore to procure external power,” the minister elaborated during a press conference in Palakkad.
He added, “The likelihood of a tariff hike depends on the extent of power procurement. The final tariff decisions will rest with the regulatory commission.”
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The period between June and September traditionally yields the crucial rainfall required to generate electricity for the subsequent eight months. However, this year’s disappointing monsoon performance, coupled with projections for continued inadequate rainfall in the coming two months, casts a shadow of imminent load shedding.
Despite the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) initial forecast of an above-normal southwest monsoon for the state, even in the face of an impending El Nino effect, the current predicament underscores a grim reality.
The reservoirs, which held a power generation potential of 1,537.032 million units (mu) as of Monday, sharply contrast with last year’s 3,438.062 mu during the same period in 2022.
