Thodupuzha: The Kerala State Electricity Board Limited is the prime beneficiary of the recent heavy rains in the state, despite the havoc it caused to public. Power plants of the state utility have achieved record power generation in the last few days as its dams are brimming with waters, even forcing authorities to drain a part off them to pre-empt floods in case of more rains.
On Wednesday alone, 40.61 million units of power were generated from the KSEB plants. Usually the power generation within Kerala is only 30 per cent of the state’s total consumption. However, on Wednesday 52 per cent of the power consumed in the state was generated in the plants located in Kerala.
The total power consumption in the state was 72.12 million units on Wednesday.
The power plants could register a record after the KSEB decided to increase production in order to decrease water levels in reservoirs following the recent heavy rains in the state.
The Moolamattom Power Plant which uses water in the Idukki Dam generated 14.58 million units on Wednesday even though one of the generators here is under maintenance.
With the reservoirs of most dams almost full, water is being released from the dams in a regulated manner.
Three shutters of the Idukki Dam have been left open following which the KSEB is incurring a daily loss of Rs 7.5 crore. The water meant for generating six lakh units of power/hour is being released from the Idukki Dam since Tuesday as a precautionary measure against floods in view of the sporadic heavy rains in a few parts of Kerala.
Ironically, in the first week of October the KSEB stared at a crisis in view of the nationwide shortage of coal. The state government even considered power cuts as the KSEB faced difficulty in buying power from thermal power plants as they curtailed generation owing to inadequate supply of coal.
Kerala is largely dependent on hydro-electric projects for the generation of electricity, but procures power from the Central pool to meet the shortfall in domestic production.
