All of Kerala’s major dams are racing to reach full storage capacity as heavy rains continue to lash the high ranges of the State and rain alerts have been issued for most of the districts for the coming days.
Data from the Kerala State Electricity Board on Saturday night showed that the Idukki, Pamba, Sholayar, Idamalayar, Kundala and Maduppatty dams were filling up fast.
Idukki dam storage as at the end of Saturday was at 57% of its full storage capacity of 2,403 feet. The Central Water Commission mandate is for a storage of 2,390 feet on August 31. Any extra water beyond the level will have to be let out.
The spell of 108.8 mm of rain in the catchment areas of Idukki on Saturday raised the water storage level by 4% from the previous day’s level of 53%.
The major dams under the electricity board have enough water to produce 2,363 million units of electricity as at the end of Saturday. An inflow of 1,295 million units has already been achieved in the first eight days of August against the anticipated inflow for the whole of August (31 days) for 1,629 million units. This is 80% of the quantum of water expected in the whole of August. The actual anticipated flow was for a total of 420 million units up to August 8 this year. The anticipated inflow of water is calculated on the basis of 30-year average rainfall.
When compared to last year’s storage of 1,103 million units, the current storage is more than double. It is the second highest level over the last five years. The level around this week in August 2018 was 3,857 million units. August 2018 was the first year of the present bout of floods in the State that repeated itself in 2019.
A person familiar with hydro power generation in the State said that heavy spells of rains continuing will fill the dams to capacity within a few days. With heavy rains in August, Kerala has just about 5% deficit in rainfall on the basis of long-term average.
Pampa has water up to 57% of its capacity with the catchment area receiving 91 mm of rain, which raised storage from 54% storage on the previous day.
Idamalayar is up to 50% while Sholayar has water up to 67% of its capacity. The catchment areas of these dams received 44 and 48 mm of rain each during Saturday.
Kuttiadi dam has 87% of its storage capacity. Thariode has 71%, Anayirakkal has 32% while Ponmudi has 93%.
