THODUPUZHA: In yet another jolt to consumers after the power tariff hike, Electricity Minister M M Mani on Tuesday said power cut has become inevitable as the state is facing severe electricity crunch.
“In the present situation, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) will have to impose power restrictions for 30 minutes to one hour. The Board is planning to introduce power cut within 10 days. The government is also exploring options to buy additional power from the central pool to resolve the crisis,” said Mani.
He said the state is facing severe deficit in rainfall this year. “Till now, there has been a 46 per cent deficit in rainfall. In Idukki reservoir, water level is only 13 per cent of its total capacity,” Mani said.
“The water flow to the reservoirs recorded an all-time low in June. In Edamalayar, there is only 9 per cent water, while in Sholayar, it is a mere 10 per cent of the total capacity. The water level in Kakki and Pampa reservoirs is as low as 7 per cent each,” Mani said.
As of now, the state reservoirs collectively have water to produce only 469 million units, while there was water to produce 2,018 million units of electricity during the same time last year.