Mahaweli Authority says no excess water in reservoirs for hydropower generation

The Mahaweli Authority has informed the Power and Energy Ministry that there are no volumes of excess water in reservoirs to be released for hydropower generation.

In a letter directed to the Power and Energy Ministry yesterday, the Authority was informed that the volumes of water required for hydropower generation on 30 and 31 January were released from reservoirs as the Meteorology Department had forecast a substantial amount of rainfall from 31 January to 2 February.

However, adequate rainfalls were not received during this period as per the forecast by the Meteorology Department, and thus the Mahaweli Authority notes it was decided to release water required for irrigation in Maha and Yala cultivation seasons, drinking, livestock farms and hydropower generation as per usual.

As per the letter, only 1,442 mcm of water (50%) can be used to generate hydropower, whilst 2,168 mcm of water (73%) is in hydroelectric reservoirs connected to the Mahaweli River.

The reservoirs and water tanks belonging to the Mahaweli Authority and the Irrigation Department have approximately 3,496 mcm of water (73%), however, only 2,488 mcm of water (64%) can be allocated for hydropower generation, the letter noted.