‘No telling when it will end’: Kerala seeks more power through short-term contracts; reservoirs reached 28% capacity | Today’s news
Keralam Electricity (Power) Minister Sunny Joseph on Thursday said it was difficult to predict how long the ongoing power crisis in the state would continue, citing a sharp rise in electricity consumption and a drop in water levels in reservoirs to 28 percent.
Speaking to newsmen on the power cut, Joseph added that the crisis in the state may continue for an uncertain period as electricity consumption has increased significantly while water levels in reservoirs have plummeted.
“It is impossible to say how long the energy crisis will continue. Electricity consumption has increased significantly while the water level in our reservoirs has dropped to just 28%,” Joseph told reporters.
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The Keralam Pradesh Congress Committee president said the state government is exploring legal options to renew long-term power purchase agreements to ensure adequate power supply. He added that Keralam is also repaying the strength it borrowed from other states during the crisis period.
“We are examining the legal options for renewing long-term contracts for the purchase of electricity. At the same time, we are repaying the power we had borrowed from other states,” he said.
Joseph further said that the government is seeking to acquire additional electricity through short-term contracts, despite the possibility of higher costs, and sought approval from the Electricity Regulatory Commission.
“We are also trying to obtain additional electricity through short-term contracts, even at higher costs. We have requested a permit for this from the Energy Regulatory Commission,” said the minister.
The remarks come amid concerns over power availability in Kerala due to increased demand and reduced storage levels in reservoirs, a key resource for the state’s hydropower generation.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala alleged that the state was facing a serious energy crisis due to “serious planning failures” by the UDF government, and alleged that widespread load shedding after a decade had returned due to declining power availability and low water storage in KSEB dams.
In a post on X Kerala, the CPI(M) wrote: “Kerala is once again staring at a severe power crisis. The massive load shedding witnessed in the state after the UDF government assumed office, the first in a decade, is the result of serious planning failures.”
The party said the government failed to foresee the problems caused by rising temperatures, insufficient rainfall, the return of borrowed power and reduced availability of electricity on power exchanges.
“As temperatures rose, expected rainfall failed to materialise, borrowed power had to be returned and availability of electricity on power exchanges reduced. The government failed to anticipate these developments and prepare properly,” the CPI(M) said.
The party further added that water storage in Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) dams was only 28 per cent of capacity. “Today, water storage in KSEB dams is only 28% of capacity. Domestic production is 24 million units, consumption has reached 86.46 million units,” the post said.
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The CPI(M) further alleged that Kerala is currently dealing with the situation through central allocation and expensive power purchase agreements. “The state is currently dealing with the situation through central allocation and expensive power purchase contracts,” he added.
The party claimed that a decade-long period without large-scale load shedding was reversed under the UDF government. “A decade without large-scale load shedding has been marred by the planning failure of the UDF government,” the Kerala CPI(M) said.
