JOIN USAs a result, the hydro electricity unit installed by the Energy Development Company Limited (EDCL) will suffer setback in achieving the proposed production target this year.
So far only 67.8 mm rain has been recorded and the water inflow into the reservoir has been reduced considerably. This would affect the power production in the current year substantially. While the maximum height of the reservoir is 2,859 feet, the water-level recorded on Sunday is 2,804.29 feet. In the previous year, there was 2,832.11 feet water in the reservoir. A total of 3.4 TMC of water was stored in the reservoir during the period in the previous year. However, currently there is only 1.4 TMC of water with an inflow of 282 cusecs.
The EDCL power unit depends on the water of left canal of reservoir. Water from the reservoir can be let to flow through canals only after the storage reached 8 TMC.
However, this year water cannot be opened through canals, since there is only 1.4 TMC water in the reservoir.
Sources said that though the EDCL power unit had produced 27 million units last year, it will not be possible to achieve the target this year due to lack of sufficient rains. The unit produces upto 9 MW power in a span of five months upto the middle of December every year. The shortage of rainfall in June has hit the target achievement this year. EDCL will have to face crisis if the monsoon delays further, informed manager Shivasubramani.