Sabarigiri hydropower crisis: Only 40 days of electricity left as reservoirs dry up

PATHANAMTHITTA: The water levels at the Sabarigiri Hydropower Project have reached a critical low, sparking concerns about a potential power crisis in Pathanamthitta. If summer rains continue to fail or the monsoon is delayed beyond early June, electricity generation may be disrupted entirely. Currently, the combined storage across the Kakki, Pampa, and Moozhiyar reservoirs sits at a meager 28.77%. Based on existing consumption rates, the project can sustain power generation for a maximum of only 40 more days.

The situation is worsened by a significant drop in water inflow. Due to the lack of significant summer rains, natural springs that typically feed the reservoirs have dwindled to thin trickles. Unlike last year, when intermittent heavy rains hit the forest regions during April and May, this year’s weather in the highlands has remained as dry as the plains, offering no relief to the receding water levels.

Beyond the weather, structural neglect has severely impacted the project's efficiency. A massive accumulation of silt and mud—exacerbated by landslides during the 2018 floods—has raised the base of the dams and drastically reduced their storage capacity. Despite the Sabarigiri Hydropower Project being commissioned in 1966, there has been little to no maintenance regarding desilting. While KSEB officials maintain that there is no immediate crisis for the next month, the long-term stability of the grid now depends entirely on the timely arrival of the monsoon.

Current Statistics

• Daily Output: Sabarigiri currently generates an average of 4 million units of electricity per day.
• Kakki Reservoir: Holds 160.70 mcm (35.99%) of its 446.51 mcm capacity.
• Pamba Reservoir: Critically low at 0.10 mcm (0.32%) of its 31.15 mcm capacity.
• Moozhiyar Reservoir: Holds 0.58 mcm (50%) of its 1.16 mcm capacity.