Poor inflow stumps KSEB

P. Venugopal

August rain below expectations

Reservoirs have storage of 59.52% of their capacity

Weather models predict a late spurt of monsoon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The month of August has badly disappointed the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) with the inflow of water to its hydroelectric reservoirs falling far below expectations because of the indifferent behaviour of the monsoon.

Against a long-term average inflow worth 1,306 million units of electricity for August, the reservoirs received an inflow of only 758 million units till the morning of August 31.

Judging from the inflow trend during the last few days, inflow for another 20 million units may reach the reservoirs on the last day of the month. The inflow deficit during the month will thus be equivalent to around 525 million units.
Inflow pattern

The inflow during June too was deficient to the extent of more than 500 million units of electricity this time, while July brought excess inflow of more than 600 million units.

Overall, the reservoirs had storage sufficient to generate 2,464 million units of electricity on August 31, according to the KSEB’s system datasheet for Monday. This is 254 million units more than the storage of 2,210 million units on the same day in 2008. However, the year 2008 is not appropriate for a comparison since it was a very bad monsoon year.

The storage position at the moment (2,464 million units) compares unfavourably with the position on the same days in 2005 (2,953 million units) and 2006 (2,505 million units). The present position is in no way close to the storage level of 3,369 million units on the same day in 2007, a year that witnessed excess rainfall in the State.
Idukki storage

The storage in the reservoir in Idukki, the largest in the State, is now only 47.28 per cent of its capacity. Among the other major reservoirs, the Pampa-Kakki combine has 72.16 per cent and Idamalayar 65.82 per cent storage now.

The 16 reservoirs the KSEB has across the hill districts now have an overall storage of 59.52 per cent of their total capacity. International weather models suggest a late spurt of the monsoon in the southern peninsula, where Kerala is situated, during the first half of September.

On this hinges the KSEB’s hopes of avoiding the reintroduction of curbs in power supply during the post-September period.