Archive · 6 Aug 2026

Hydro reservoir levels hit lowest since 2023 on El Niño

Hydro reservoir levels hit lowest since 2023 on El Niño

India gets some of its electricity from dams that use water to spin turbines.

These are called hydroelectric power plants, and the water they store is like a big battery.

This year there has been less rain than usual because of a weather pattern called El Niño.

El Niño can change where rain falls and make the monsoon season drier.

Because of the dry weather, water levels in many reservoirs have dropped to their lowest since 2023.

With less water, the dams cannot make as much electricity, and hydropower output fell by about 11%.

To make sure people still have power, India is burning more coal to make electricity instead.

The weather department says the coming months may also have less rain than normal.

This means the country will keep watching its power supply carefully.

Sources