Kochi: For the first time in its history, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is set to achieve a power generation of 10,000 Million Units (MU) through its hydro-electric projects.
The KSEB had a good time in power generation during this 'water year' as dams had copious water owing to very good rain on alternate days.
(A water year is a period of 12 months for which precipitation totals are measured. It is also called hydrological year, discharge year or flow year. The beginning of a water year doesn't coincide with the calendar year. The term is often used in Hydrology.)
In Kerala, the water year is usually from June 1 to May 31. But in November itself, the KSEB is on the path of generating surplus energy from its hydel projects.
The water needed for the record generation of power will reach the dams in the coming days too, going by the statistics on the inflow of water prepared on the basis of rain data. By May 31, the water level has to be lowered for generating 500 MU of power. For this to happen, the KSEB should now generate 22 to 23 MU power daily. With the remaining water available in the dams, the KSEB will be able to generate 9,741 MU of power till May 31.
Even during 2018 when the disastrous flood occured, the KSEB could not achieve the current level of power generation. It could then generate only 7,761 MU of power.
In 2020, 7,254 MU of power were generated. About, 5,341 MU of power had been generated by the KSBE during this year till October 31. Till Monday, the dams in Kerala had in its kitty an amount of water capable of generating 3,900 MU of power.
Kerala is getting about 60 MU of power from the Central pool. Now, the daily consumption of power stands at 70 MU. Even if the consumption touches 80 MU during summer, the state will not have to buy power from outside for exorbitant prices. Moreover, the KSEB will not incur any loss as the rate for selling surplus power and the rate for using power from the Central pool are equal. It comes in the range of Rs 3 to Rs 3.50 per unit.
Power generation during last five water years (in Million Units)
2016-17: 4,317
2017-18: 5,896
2018-19: 7,761
2019-20: 5,694
2020-21: 7,254