THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission has asked the KSEB to clarify whether the safety of power distribution facilities would be compromised if its assets are used for drawing optical fibre network under the government’s ambitious K-FON project.The instruction came on a complaint filed by two former KSEB employees that Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON) would seriously compromise the security of KSEB facilities. K-FON is a proposed JV by Kerala State IT Infrastructure Ltd, KSEB and the state government to provide internet connectivity to the public and government offices using KSEB sub-station infrastructure and transmission and distribution networks.
The petitioners - Premji Easaw Jacob and Jonas Derek - also wanted the commission to freeze KSEB’s partnership in KFON and to prevent the power utility from handing over its assets to the JV in which it does not have a controlling interest. They argued that the power transmission and distribution system are continuously getting upgraded which requires frequent dismantling and erecting works through the same right of way. Dual ownership of assets would trigger a conflict of interest between KSEB and the communication company, the petitioners argued.
During a hearing in September, the commission had sought the KSEB’s clarifications on 12 points regarding its partnership in K-FON.