Meghalaya: Umiam Reservoir’s Decreasing Water Level Causing Major Power Outage

SHILLONG: Meghalaya is now experiencing a power outage. The water level in Meghalaya's Umiam reservoir has dropped to 3165 feet, the lowest in recorded history. This could result in the shutdown of power generation. As a result, the state has daily power outages of up to ten hours.

According to Power Minister A T Mondal, “The water level as of today is 3,165 feet. This is the lowest in the history of the lake. The lowest water level recorded was 3,170 feet a few years ago.”

According to sources, the state has a demand for approximately 200 million units of power but only 88 million units are available. Meanwhile, due to technical issues, another 35 million unit of the Kopili stage I project has been halted.

A minimum water level is required for every hydropower project to generate electricity. At Umiam, the minimum level of water necessary for power generation is 3,164 feet. The Umiam Reservoir, which was built in the early 1960s, is located about 10 km north of Shillong. The reservoir's maximum water level is 3,210 feet (978.41m).

However, in a PIL hearing, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W. Diengdoh criticized Meghalaya government and stated that “Electricity is no longer a luxury. It is the State’s responsibility to ensure that there is adequate availability of electricity as per demand and place to meet the increased future demands.”

Power Minister A T Mondal, along with authorities and IIT Guwahati experts, examined the Umiam Dam on Tuesday, voicing concerns about the bridge's safety.

Concerning the condition of the Umiam bridge, he stated that the state government has opted to have it thoroughly evaluated and tested by an IIT Guwahati team before proceeding with retrofitting by a company picked through bidding.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that Cyclone Mocha will have an impact on the northeastern region. According to the IMD, heavy to very heavy rainfall will fall in Mizoram, Tripura, and Manipur in the next few days.

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