Chennai, July 20: Tamil Nadu is grappling with a significant decline in hydropower production this year, attributed to a weak southwest monsoon, reduced water flow in major reservoirs, and prolonged heatwaves. As a result, the state is compelled to purchase electricity at higher rates from power exchanges to meet the rising demand.
Official data reveals that from April 1 to July 17, Tamil Nadu produced only 751.034 million units (MU) of hydropower, a stark contrast to 1,509.549 million units during the same period last year. This marks a nearly 50% drop in production.
This decline in hydropower generation comes at a time when electricity demand remains elevated through July, placing additional strain on the state’s power infrastructure.
Hydropower is considered the cheapest source of electricity for the state, with production costs per unit being less than one rupee. Typically, Tamil Nadu maximizes hydropower output during the summer months to reduce reliance on expensive energy sources. However, this year, the prolonged heatwave and below-average rainfall have resulted in insufficient water in reservoirs, disrupting hydropower operations.
The decrease in hydropower production has directly impacted the state’s electricity distribution company. To compensate for the shortfall, the state has had to purchase electricity from exchanges at rates ranging from 16 to 20 rupees per unit over the past three months. Officials estimate that approximately 2,000 million units of electricity were acquired during this period, significantly increasing the expenditure on electricity purchases.
The situation has been exacerbated by insufficient water flow from the Cauvery River in Karnataka, further diminishing water availability in the reservoirs that several hydropower projects rely on.
Officials warn that if monsoon activity does not improve in the coming days and if adequate rainfall does not occur in catchment areas, hydropower production will remain under pressure for the next few weeks.
Energy sector experts have also pointed to a lack of reservoir maintenance as a major factor contributing to the decline in production. They note that while desilting work was completed in some reservoirs, such as Bhavanisagar and Kundah, in 2010, no significant efforts have been made since then.
Officials estimate that sediment accumulation has reduced the effective water storage capacity of these reservoirs by nearly 20%. This has diminished their ability to collect water during the monsoon, further impacting hydropower production.
Experts believe that timely desilting could have increased reservoir storage capacity, improved hydropower output, and reduced the need for the state to purchase expensive electricity during peak demand periods.
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