Hydel power plants in Karnataka will not be used following weak southwest monsoon

The lack of adequate water in the dams would necessitate using them only in the coming summer when power demand is at the peak

A weak southwest monsoon has led to low water levels in reservoirs this year, in turn impacting power generation in hydel dams.

The cumulative water storage in three major hydel dams is only 43.75% of their capacity, forcing Karnataka Power Corporation Limited to go for thermal energy and conserve the available water for the coming summer. In 2022, the State received good rains. During the corresponding period last year, the three major hydel reservoirs recorded a cumulative storage of 77.88%.

Linganamakki dam, Supa dam and Mani dam are the three major hydel reservoirs for energy production in Karnataka. As on October 21, the total storage available was sufficient to generate 3,997 MU (million units) of power. This is against 7,050 MU on this day last year.

m = metre | TMC = thousand million cubic feet | MU = million units

There have been complaints of frequent power cuts across Karnataka. Farmers have hit the streets demanding power supply, as they are finding it difficult to safeguard standing crops due to scanty rainfall. Due to the drought, the demand for power has increased.

At the same time, power generation has suffered. As of now, the demand is around 15,000 MW to 16,000 MW, up from 9,000 MW to 10,000 MW last year. 

The Sharavathi Valley Project, which has four power-generating stations with a total capacity of 1,469 MW, is one of the major sources of electricity for Karnataka. As on October 21the water in the dam was only 66.80 TMC, which is 44.02% of the total capacity. With the available storage, 2,006 MU can be generated.