KOCHI: Since its commissioning in October 2021, Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL)’s small hydel project in Arippara has generated nearly 65 million units of electricity. This highlights the potential of small hydel projects in Keralam, where 122 such projects with a combined capacity of 664 MW have remained stalled for years.
If they are revived and entrusted to district panchayats, district cooperative banks and private players, the projects could add hundreds of megawatts to the state’s generation capacity within two to three years, pointed out Jacob Jose, a former project manager of the Pallivasal Extension Scheme. He has also called for redesigning small hydel projects to combine them with solar power to improve viability.
Arippara, a run-of-the-river project allotted to CIAL by the state government on a build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) basis for 30 years, has recorded a net generation of 64.59 million units (MU), as per the figures provided by the company. The plant operates from June to November and generates an average of 12.5 MU annually. The year-wise generation figures show that Arippara’s net output rose from 63.11 lakh units in 2021-22 to 1.35 crore units in 2025-26, its highest annual output in the period for which data was provided. The plant generated 1.24 crore units in 2022-23 and 1.06 crore units in 2023-24 before output increased to 1.28 crore units in 2024-25.
The figures indicate that a single small hydel project can contribute more than 1 crore units annually, despite operating only during the monsoon months.Arippara offers a working example of the contribution such projects can make to state’s internal power generation. The project’s performance comes at a time when Keralam continues to depend heavily on electricity purchased from other states to meet its demand.
“Our power purchase from other states and its expense is on the rise with each passing year. Only 20-25% of the state’s power requirement was met through internal generation, while the remaining 7580% was sourced from outside. Keralam’s generation capacity stood at 4,800 MW, including 2,200 MW from rooftop solar, against a peak-load requirement of 5,500 MW. The peak-load requirement could reach 10,000 MW by 2030,” Jacob said.
He dismissed Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) officials’ contention that small hydel projects have a low return on investment. Among the stalled projects are Mankulam and Pambar, each with a proposed capacity of 40 MW, Achankovil (30 MW), Bhoothathankettu and Chinnar (24 MW each), and Kakkadampoyil-I (20 MW). Though a short-term agreement with the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board for 600 MW during peak hours has helped the KSEB withdraw power cuts, depleting dam storage and the threat of El Nino continue to raise concerns.
The state is also pursuing a proposal to establish a 2,000-MWh battery energy storage system at Kayamkulam in partnership with NTPC and NTPC Green Energy Ltd. However, increasing internal generation must remain central to the state’s response to rising demand for a sustainable way of moving forward, Jacob added.
Minister for Electricity Sunny Joseph told TNIE, “A meeting wa convened recently and the decision was to study each of the stalled projects in detail. There are a lot of technical issues with many of the proposed projects. However, a revival of at least some of them is definitely on the cards, for which district-level reports have been sought.”
Power Matters
Arippara, CIAL: 64.46 million units of net generation since commissioning in October 2021
Annual generation: 12.5 MU on average
122Stalled small hydel projects: Combined proposed capacity: 664 MW
Power purchased in 2025: 24,000 MU out of 32,000 MU consumed
Power purchase expenditure: G12,000 crore in 2025
Peak-load requirement: 5,500 MW currently
Arippara over the years
Year Net generation
2021-22 63,11,100
2022-23 1,24,76,100
2023-24 1,06,00,700
2024-25 1,27,89,600
2025-26 1,34,87,800
2026-27 89,26,000 (till date)
Total 6,45,91,300