Thiruvananthapuram: As if poor rains were not enough, it seems that gods have conspired in other ways also to intensify the state’s power woes. The hundreds of religious festivals across the state have pushed up daily power consumption during December to 65 million units, a level witnessed only during the summer of 2016.
Unbridled consumption and water shortage have forced KSEB Limited to depend badly on power purchases. Already purchase power costs have shot up by at least Rs 2000 crore this year alone. “Christmas has already taken its toll. The days leading up to Christmas saw a daily consumption of nearly 70 MU, and then it seems to have steadied at an average of 67 MU,” a top KSEBL source said. The Board expects this high level of consumption to sustain at least till the end of March. December-March is considered festival season in the state. It is estimated that during this period nearly 7000 religious festivals take place in various parts of the state. There are even days when the state hosts over 100 festivals.
According to sources, power consumption in a temple or a church or a mosque will shoot up by at least seven times during a festival. “Earlier generators were used but now their use has been curtailed after it was found too noisy and highly polluting. As a result, religious functions increasingly depend on conventional KSEB power to light up the event,” a top KSEB source said. As for the place of worship, it helps that power is offered at subsidized rates.
The December surge is an annual phenomenon. However, the consumption this year has shown a considerable increase. If average daily consumption was 67 MU last December, the consumption during the corresponding period in 2015 was only 59 MU, which saw an increase from 47 MU during December 2014. “In 2015, KSEBL could absorb the increase in consumption as its reservoirs were flush with water and power was available at relatively cheap rates.
