India, March 5 -- As the Idukki Hydroelectric Project completes fifty years of power generation this year, Kerala finds itself reflecting on one of the most transformative engineering undertakings in its history and confronting new questions about the future of hydropower in a fragile mountain landscape.

The Idukki Hydroelectric Project, Kerala's largest hydropower installation, completed 50 years of operation in February 2026, marking a major milestone in the state's energy history.

Built across the Periyar river between the granite hills of Kuravan and Kurathi in Idukki district, the project consists of three dams: the Idukki arch dam, the Cheruthoni gravity dam, and the Kulamavu dam, which together create a vast reservoir spread acro...