The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has ramped up power generation at the Moolamattom plant and other major hydel stations to overcome a severe power crisis in the State. According to KSEB sources, the board normally allows water storage to build up in the Idukki reservoir in the monsoon season by reducing power generation at Moolamattom. However, with the State experiencing high power demand, generation at the Moolamattom plant has been pushed past 10 million units (mu).Data from the State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) show that the Moolamattom power plant generated 11.47 mu on Thursday. “The plant generated 5.941 mu on July 14 and 8.344 mu on July 15. Power generation at Moolamattom was increased specifically to overcome the current crisis,” a source said.Sources added that another reason for boosting generation at Moolamattom is to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the ongoing football World Cup. “The KSEB has decided to ignore storage constraints and increase generation at Moolamattom regardless of the water level,” the source explained.Usual situationTypically, the storage in Idukki is utilised in late July and August to generate power that is handed over to other States. They return this power during the summer season with an additional 10%. This generation strategy also helps avoid opening the dam shutters to comply with the mandated rule curve. According to KSEB data, hydel power stations across the State generated 25.79 mu over the past 24 hours, up from 20.553 mu on July 15.28% capacityMeanwhile, water storage in the State’s largest hydel project in Idukki remains alarmingly low. The water level in the Idukki reservoir stood at 2,327.46 feet (28% capacity) on Friday, compared to 2,363.06 feet on the same day last year. Officials noted that the dam’s storage is currently 35.6 feet lower than it was during the corresponding period last year. Published - July 17, 2026 07:57 pm IST