THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Reeling under a severe financial crisis, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is now forced to purchase power worth a whopping Rs 16-20 crore daily to meet peak-hours demand. And with the daily power consumption crossing 100 million units amid rising mercury levels, the board has urged consumers to use power with care, especially during evenings.
While power for day-time use is being purchased at less than Rs 6 per unit, the price of power purchased from the Power Exchange to meet the peak-hours demand in the evening has gone up beyond Rs 16 per unit.
“While there has been a 7.64% growth in power consumption nationally this fiscal, Kerala has registered an 11% growth,” a KSEB official told TNIE. “This has happened as the electric vehicle penetration in Kerala has been high. Also, consumers are depending on air-conditioners to beat the heat. Things are looking bleak as the KSEB is struggling with financial issues. Hence, we are urging the public to use power judiciously.”
KSEB started feeling the financial crunch after the long-term power purchase agreements (PPA) were cancelled by the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission citing technical reasons. Despite the LDF government intervening in the issue to reinstate the cancelled PPA, it went into litigation and is currently before the appellate tribunal of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission. There were efforts to bring in an execution petition -- a plea to the court for the execution of any decree or order -- before the KSERC but to no avail.
A senior power department official said power consumption this year has hit a high in the second week of March itself, while record consumption usually occurs in April-May.
“All the dams together have only 52.28% of water which would help us generate 2164.5 million units of power. As on Tuesday, Idukki reservoir’s water level is only 48.79%. But the same time last year, the storage in dams was lower. This time, we have managed things as we have been careful in using water,” the official said.
The rising power consumption has raised concerns of the state facing a power crisis in the immediate future. In the worst-case scenario, if there is a dearth in summer rains, the KSEB will be forced to implement load shedding. For now though, the onus has fallen on the consumers to use up less power.
Light up with care
KSEB forced to purchase power worth a whopping I16-20 crore daily to meet peak-hours demand
The board has urged consumers to use electricity with care, especially during evenings
Price of power purchased from Power Exchange to meet peak-hours demand in the evening has gone up beyond I16 per unit