Reduce Wastage of Electricity to Avoid Power Cuts, Says Kerala Minister

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala power minister Mr K Krishnankutty has appealed to consumers to reduce power usage during peak hours to avoid power cuts.

The reservoirs of major hydroelectric plants in the state are facing an acute water shortage due to deficient rainfall, which, combined with high demand and power shortage throughout the country, has adversely affected the availability of electricity in the state. However, power cuts and load shedding are not currently under consideration.

A review meeting has been scheduled for September 4 to evaluate power consumption and availability due to deficient rainfall.

Kerala usually experiences abundant rainfall during the monsoon season, but August was the driest ever, with only 6 cm of rainfall. In the past, the state received an average of 42.6 cm of rain in August, sufficient to meet its power demand. Currently, the state is managing by purchasing additional power from outside. An extra 700 MW of power is being procured to solve the power crisis caused by deficient rainfall. Under the return agreement, 500 MW will be purchased, and a short-term contract of 200 MW will be made on the condition that the amount will be paid after 15 days.

The daily power demand in Kerala is currently 85-86 million units, which forces the state to purchase power at high rates. To overcome this, the minister has urged the consumers to cooperate with the KSEB by limiting consumption from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.