Industry & Economy
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Water
Idukki dam takes in Mullaperiyar overflow
G.K. Nair
Kochi
,
Aug. 1
VIGOROUS rainfall in Kerala during the week, especially in the high ranges, have raised the water level in the reservoirs of all the hydroelectric projects in the State.
The Mullaperiyar dam, from which water is taken out to Tamil Nadu through four pipelines, has started overflowing due to obstruction in two pipes carrying water to Tamil Nadu, which are being repaired on a war-footing.
The spillover from Mullaperiyar is going to the Idukki dam, which could hold the inflow for 10 to 15 days as the water storage level in that dam at present has reached only 50 per cent of its capacity, a senior KSEB official told Business Line.
He said that an official meeting is likely to be held on Tuesday to discuss the situation arising out of increased inflow from Mullaperiyar dam.
According to him, some corrective action would be taken if the situation warranted. If needed, generation from the Idukki hydel project could be raised , the official said. The water level in all the other small hydel projects has reached full capacity, while in the second largest project at Sabarigiri, it has reached 53 per cent of capacity.
Mullaperiyar dam in the State has a capacity of 136 feet and with an inflow of 5,767 cusecs it is reported to have started overflowing.
Water from this dam is taken to Tamil Nadu through four pipelines. But two of these pipes have developed some obstruction and the engineers from Tamil Nadu are working to remove it. Even though the overflowing water from this dam would go straight into the Idukki dam, the Kerala Government authorities have cautioned the people living downstream in Vandiperiyar, Elappara and Kattappana areas.
The water storage has gone up to significantly higher levels and with an expected good northeast monsoon later this year, the State would be placed at a comfortable position that it would be able to go without costly hydel power during rest of the year, the official added.
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