The Hindu Business Line : Reservoirs in Kerala set to touch full capacity

THE water storage in the reservoirs of the State's hydel projects this year is expected to touch the 1992 level of 99.79 per cent of their capacity if the current trend of monsoon prevailed during the rest of the season.

A senior KSEB official told Business Line that the overall average water storage has gone up to 76 per cent of the capacity of the reservoirs as on Wednesday; with this, 3,571 million units (mu) of power could be generated, 259 mu more than that of last year.

He said that by October, the storage level is expected to touch the 1992 level.

The storage level in the largest hydel project Idukki was 73 per cent of its capacity while Pampa and Kakki reservoir had 76 per cent, Sholayar 99.5 per cent, Edamalayar 87 per cent, Kundala and Mattupetty 72 per cent and 75 per cent respectively, Kuttiyadi 80 per cent and Ponmudi 96 per cent.

At present, 19.85 mu are generated by the hydel projects daily. The small spilling stations are operated to full capacity and generation of power from these units stood at 10.8 mu daily while the other major plants such as Idukki, Sabarigiri and Sholayar generate only 8.5 mu. Thus, the water storage in the major reservoirs is conserved.

The current daily demand is 34.5 mu and of this, 19.85 mu are supplied by the hydel projects and rest is drawn from the central grid.

According to the official, the KSEB expects to have water storage to generate the 10-year average of 6,100 mu. The inflow in July alone was enough to generate 2,511 mu where as, it was 1,600 mu in July last year.

The annual demand, he said, is estimated at 13,900 mu. The State is entitled to draw 7,000 mu from the central grid while the generation from the hydel projects could range between 6,000 mu and 7,000 mu.

With the peak hour demand in summer season touching 2,400 MW, the Board may have to draw power from the thermal sources at a price less than that of the naphtha-based power plants. However, it would depend on the peak demand and the availability of power from the central generating stations.

Due to the high cost of naphtha, the variable cost alone for generating one unit of power by the NTPC's Kayamkulam plant is around Rs 5, he said.

The load pattern of Kerala power system is such that the maximum load on the system occurs during evening hours, i.e., between 6 pm and 10 pm, which comes to be around 2,400 MW during acute summer.

The minimum load occurs during late night hours i.e., between 11 pm and 5 am, which comes to be around 1,000 MW during summer. In other words the base load of Kerala Power System is around 1,000 MW.

The Central share of Kerala is between 750 MW and 800 MW now, which is available round the clock.

The base load of 1,000 MW as well as day-time-additional load of around 350 MW can be met with the minimum hydro generation that is to be put on grid and with the support of the Board's own small thermal stations whenever there is a Hydel shortage, he said.

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