Idukki (Kerala), Nov 14 (PTI) Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Friday praised a team of engineers who carried out an unusually daring inspection inside the Idukki hydroelectric project, the state’s largest power-generation facility.
The team from the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) entered the project’s main pressure tunnel after the Moolamattom underground powerhouse was fully shut down for maintenance.
Water from the 7.01-metre-wide pressure tunnel and penstock was completely drained before the inspection began.
According to the minister, the engineers walked nearly 1.5 kilometres inside the tunnel—an enclosed space with low oxygen levels—to assess its structural safety.
Special precautions were taken to ensure the team could work safely in the confined environment, he said in a Facebook post.
To keep communication open during the operation, ham radio support was arranged from Cheruthoni.
The equipment, provided by licensed operator Manoj, allowed the team to stay in contact while deep underground, Krishnankutty said.
The inspection was led by Saina S, Executive Engineer of the Dam Safety Division, along with Assistant Executive Engineer June Joy and Assistant Engineers Rahul Rajasekharan, Jayaprakash and Baiju M B.
The minister described their effort as “courageous” and essential for safeguarding the state’s energy infrastructure.
The Idukki Hydroelectric Project, completed with Canadian assistance and inaugurated in 1976, remains a landmark of engineering in India.
With an installed capacity of 780 MW and an underground powerhouse cavern among the largest in the country, the project plays a key role in Kerala’s electricity supply.
Water passing through the station eventually feeds the Thodupuzha River, supporting power generation at the Malankara small hydro plant and local irrigation. PTI TGB SSK
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