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As the Idukki hydroelectric project, the State’s largest hydel powerfulness project, marks a historical 50-year milestone connected Thursday (February 12, 2026), the Moolamattom powerfulness works has recorded a full procreation of 115,852.672 cardinal units (MU) implicit the past 5 decades.
Viju Rajan John, main technologist of the Kerala State Electricity Board Limited’s (KSEB) procreation helping astatine the Moolamattom powerhouse, told The Hindu that the project’s archetypal phase, consisting of 3 130 MW generators, was commissioned successful 1976. “The initially commissioned generators unsocial contributed 69,767.445 MU to that total. The 2nd phase, featuring the fourth, fifth, and sixth generators was installed successful 1986, bringing the full capableness of the Idukki hydel task to 780 MW,” Mr. John said.
According to Mr. John, the existent mean outgo of powerfulness procreation astatine the Idukki task is exceptionally low, sitting beneath 12 to 17 paise per unit. To coincide with the 50-year anniversary, renovation enactment connected the archetypal signifier 1 generators has already been completed. Officials besides noted that connected July 15, 2020, the Moolamattom works deed a historical milestone of generating 1 lakh cardinal units of power.
Power surplus
The Idukki task fundamentally shifted the scenery of Kerala’s powerfulness sector. At the clip of its commissioning, the task created a powerfulness surplus, prompting the authorities to connection subsidies to high-volume users.
“After the task was commissioned, the authorities invited industries to the State by offering powerfulness security, which led to important concern arrival,” an authoritative stated. Beyond electricity, the task ensures drinking h2o and irrigation for thousands of families successful Idukki, Kottayam, and Ernakulam districts done the Malankara dam.
The task besides transformed the geography of the hilly Idukki district. The operation led to the opening of the Thodupuzha-Puliyanmala State road and the Neriamangalam-Cheruthoni road, which established captious connectivity for the region. Now, the Idukki dam is 1 of the large tourer attractions successful the State and draws lakhs of tourists each year.
One enduring awesome of the project’s engineering prowess is the Cheruthoni low-lying bridge. Built successful the 1960s, it gained nationalist attraction during the 2018 floods.
“When the sluice gates were opened successful August 2018 to merchandise excess water, smaller bridges crossed the territory were washed away. However, the Cheruthoni span remained intact without immoderate damage,” an authoritative noted.
The project’s past besides includes the displacement of aboriginal settlers. The installation of the reservoir resulted successful the submergence of Ayyappankovil, erstwhile a large municipality successful the precocious range. In his book Idukki Desham Charithram Samskaram, historiographer Manoj Mathirappally noted that Ayyappankovil had emerged arsenic a bustling hub for migrants from cardinal Travancore. The consequent eviction of the municipality sparked large protests, led by precocious communist person A.K. Gopalan.
