The Hindu Business Line : Hydel power output likely to fall sharply

New Delhi, July 27 Hydropower generation in the country could witness a sharp dip due to the south-west monsoon pretty much fizzling out across a majority of the meteorological divisions.

Lower inflows into rivers and plummeting water levels in dams and reservoirs across the western, eastern and southern regions are projected to short-circuit the plans of power utilities in these States to ride on the hydropower boost that generally follows each monsoon.

Between April 1 and July 21, there has been an 8 per cent dip in hydro generation in western States vis-À-vis the targets for the period, while there has been a 14 per cent dip in the eastern region and a 20 per cent dip in the North-East, according to Central Electricity Authority (CEA) data.

The situation is reported to have worsened in the latter half of July, with hydro generation in the West, East and as well as the southern region in the deficit, as compared to generation targets set for the period, according to the data.

The lower rainfall has meant that hydro reservoir positions are close to the minimum drawdown level in the case of several major dams and reservoirs, including the Indira Sagar reservoir (Madhya Pradesh), Sabagiri (Kerala), Balimela and Indravati (both in Orissa), even as a number of other reservoirs are showing lower levels than last year. As on July 22, 19 of the 32 major reservoirs had levels lower that the levels on the same day last year.

Seven States, namely Gujarat (where both the Sardar Sarovar and Ukai reservoirs have lower water levels than last year), Madhya Pradesh (Gandhi Sagar, Indira Sagar), Maharashtra (Bhira, Koyna), Andhra Pradesh (Machkund, Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam), Karnataka (Kalandi Supa), Kerala (Idamalayar, Sabrigiri and Idukki) and Orissa (Balimela and Indravati), are the worst affected in terms of plummeting reservoir levels. The northern region has been much better-off in terms of the rains.

Besides, projects in the Himalayan region depend mainly on snow melt and companies such as Jaiprakash Hydro Power Ltd and LNJ Bhilwara, which operate in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, have not faced any major dip in generation, industry sources said.

However, excessive silting has been a problem after the monsoons, and the 1,500-MW Nathpa Jhakri Power Corporation project was shut down recently, affecting some northern States including Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana.

For the States that are witnessing a dip in hydro generation, the power utilities have no option but to ramp up dependence on expensive thermal power for the rest of the year, a Power Ministry official said.

For instance, while a normal monsoon would have enabled Kerala to generate nearly 8,000 million units of hydroelectric power this season, the depleted rains have brought down targets to half that level. Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Assam are among the worst-affected States. Andhra Pradesh is already gearing up for shutdown on industrial activity in the State on specified days during the week while others are gearing up with similar tough measures to tide over the shortages.