The Kulekhani hydropower project has come under pressure as electricity has been imported from India for only 12 hours a day. In the Kulekhani Reservoir hydropower project, which is a backup of Nepal Electricity Authority, the water level has started to decrease by 36 cm in 24 hours.

The water level in the Kulekhani reservoir was 1,523 meters and 82 centimeters at 2 pm on Thursday. At the same time on Friday afternoon, 1,523 meters has fallen to 46 cm. Tara Dutt Bhatta, Head of Kulekhani First, said that all the three hydropower projects of Kulekhani have been operating around the clock since electricity was imported from India for only 12 hours a day.

"Now all the three projects of Kulekhani are operating round the clock," said Bhatt, "The water level of Kulekhani reservoir has started decreasing by 35 to 40 centimeters every day." The Kulekhani project is being operated round the clock on Wednesday and Thursday. During this year's drought, Kulekhani reservoir overflowed and the dam gates were opened. Kulekhani Reservoir with a capacity of 1,530 meters of water was completely filled on October 10. 

The dam was opened on October 11 due to overflow. Daman, Palung, Bajbarahi, Chitlang and Markhu and Fakhel reservoirs of Indrasarovar rural municipality of Thaha municipality in the northern region of Makwanpur are the catchment areas. Heavy rains in those areas last monsoon, due to which the Kulekhani reservoir filled up and overflowed. 

The Kulekhani Reservoir project was launched after the onset of drought. So far, the water level of the reservoir has dropped by 6 meters and 18 centimeters. The final point is the water level of 1,483 meters in the Kulekhani Reservoir. Electricity cannot be produced after the water level reaches 1,483 meters. During last year's dry season, the water in the reservoir was used almost to the last point. According to the authority, the water of Kulekhani Reservoir can be used when it goes down to 1,484 meters. Only 46 meters of the water collected in the reservoir can be used for power generation.

According to the authority, 60 megawatts of electricity will be produced from the first Kulekhani, 32 from the second and 14 from the third. All the three projects generate electricity from the water collected in the Kulekhani Reservoir. Kulekhani Reservoir, which is 300 meters wide and seven kilometers long, is one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in Nepal. Bhatt said that water is collected and stored in the Kulekhani Reservoir to operate during the dry season.

Indrasarovar lake surface increased 

Kulekhani hydropower project's water level has increased due to the increase in the production of 633 million units of electricity. Initially, 211 million units of electricity were generated from the water collected in the reservoir. But now that capacity has decreased and only 144.7 million units of electricity are produced. Due to the decrease in the water storage capacity of the reservoir, the electricity generation has decreased. This automatically affects the product. A technician of Kulekhani First said that the capacity to hold about 27 million cusecs of water has decreased. 

Every year, stones, soil, sand and leaves brought by the river from the watershed area are deposited in the Patpatingar reservoir. Initially, the Kulekhani reservoir held 85.3 million cusecs of water. That capacity has declined to 59.99 million cusecs. It is said that the water level of the reservoir has increased by more than 13 meters in the 41 years that Kulekhani has been in operation. 

The water storage capacity of the reservoir has decreased by 30 percent due to the rise in the lake level. Electricity production has also decreased by 30 percent. After the decrease in the water capacity of the reservoir, compared to the initial situation, the electricity authority has been suffering a loss of about 35 crore rupees annually.