Hydropower crisis deepens in Telangana as repairs lag, reservoirs run dry
HYDERABAD: Telangana’s power sector is grappling with a deepening hydropower crisis as critical generation units remain offline due to technical faults, and plunging reservoir levels further restrict output. The disruption has forced the state to lean more heavily on costlier thermal and solar energy sources.
According to officials, ongoing repairs at key hydropower stations have significantly hampered generation. The 150 MW Unit-4 at Srisailam remains under maintenance, and sources suggest the work may not be completed anytime soon. Similarly, repair work continues at Unit-3 of the 40 MW Upper Jurala project. With the monsoon expected to begin in mid-June, authorities are under pressure to finish the work before reservoirs begin to swell. However, internal assessments indicate uncertainty over whether these deadlines can be met.
The immediate consequence has been a dramatic drop in hydropower output. Srisailam’s reservoir is nearly empty, and Nagarjunasagar is in a similar state. Other major and minor reservoirs across the state are facing comparable shortages. In April, all hydropower plants combined generated just 56.50 million units of electricity. Of this, Srisailam — with an installed capacity of 900 MW — produced only 1.76 million units.
The Nagarjunasagar plant, which can generate up to 815 MW, contributed 41.81 million units in the same period. GENCO-run plants, six of which are operational, saw no production from several units. The remaining five units together produced a meagre 56 million units, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Power sector analysts warn that the crisis reflects poor planning and operational mismanagement. They point out that when reservoirs held sufficient water, generation was still kept low, leading to current shortfalls when demand is rising.
Hydropower is significantly more cost-effective than thermal and solar power, and the current over-dependence on the latter two is straining government finances. Officials admit that thermal and solar energy now make up the bulk of the state’s electricity output — a burden that could grow heavier in the absence of timely rainfall and urgent repairs.
As Telangana waits for the monsoon, the state’s ability to restore its hydropower capacity may well determine its energy stability for the coming months.