Idukki Dam

Idukki hydro electric project is the biggest of its kind in Kerala state. Idukki dam is the third highest arch dam in Asia. The capacity of the project is 780 MV. The dam on the Periyar River is constructed and owned by Kerala State Electricity board. The arch dam connects the Kuravan and Kurathi hills and concrete is used for building the thin curvature parabolic dam. There are two other small dams are built in this project area at a lower portion of the reservoir and they are Cheruthoni and Kulamavu. An artificial lake of 60km is formed within these three dams and can store 2 billion tons of water for the hydro electric project. The Idukki dam stores water and Cheruthoni and Kulamavu dams are utilized to passage this water to the power house. The directed water is then used in the underground power house at Moolamattam which is built inside huge granite. The downstream from the project flows to Kudayathurpuzha and is used for the irrigation purpose at nearby Muvattupuzha area. Entry to the dam for the public is open only for a month during Onam and Christmas season. Paid boating facility is available in the dam area to enjoy the surroundings. The Idukki wild life sanctuary is spread across 77km and tourists can spot Elephants, Bison, Wild dogs, tigers, jungle cats and wild boars.  Different varieties of snakes including the cobra, viper and krait and non poisonous ones can also be found in the sanctuary. Black bulbul, Myna, Jungle fowl, Laughing thrush, Woodpecker, Peafowl and kingfisher are the birds seen here. Mrs. Indira Gandhi has inaugurated the Idukki project in 1976 when she was the prime minister. At that time the total power generation of the state was 560MV. At the same time Idukki project could generate 780MV on its own which gave a sudden rise in the power generation of the state. The Idukki hydro electric project helps Kerala state to satisfy a large quantity of power requirement.

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