Three out of a total of five units in the dam have remained closed due to receding of water for the past few days, bringing down the power generation to 80 to 90 megawatts (mw) while the dam is supposed to generate 230 mw daily with all its five units running.

If water continues to recede for a few more days and there is no rain, two other units will also face closure, sources said.

A minimum of 85 to 90 MSL (mean sea level) reservation of water is needed for smooth operation of the two units while the level has come down to below 80 MSL, they added.

"We can not keep the water at standard level for smooth operation of the five units. To supply water to up-land peasants, we have to face scarcity of water during the dry season", said an engineer at the office of the project manager in Kaptai.

"An agreement between the farmers and the government is needed to find a solution, striking a balance between farmers' interest and the power generation," said an official concerned.