KOCHI: With summer rains failing to deliver and daily electricity consumption breaking records due to the sizzling summer heat, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is staring at an acute power crunch.
Power consumption touched a new high on Tuesday – the second time this month – at 102.95 million units (MU), or 10.2 crore units. On April 12, power consumption had touched 95 MU, surpassing the previous record of 92.38 MU in 2022. Power consumption in the state has stayed above 100 MU since April 13, except on April 16 when it dipped to 90.57 MU following rain in some localities.
Moreover, peak hour demand crossed 5,000 MW for the first time with the state registering record consumption of 5,067 MW at 10.25pm on Tuesday.
“Power consumption has seen a drastic rise this year. There are two peak hours, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm and 8.30pm to midnight. However, the peak hour at present extends up to 2am. On Monday, we purchased 13.48 MU from the national power exchange at a higher rate. Though a cap of Rs 10 per unit has been fixed by the Central Power Regulatory Commission, we will be forced to purchase power at a higher cost if the situation worsens,” said a KSEB official.
With water levels in all five major dams of KSEB plunging to a six-year-low, its hydro power stations, except Idukki, have restricted electricity generation to peak hours to save internal resources. KSEB’s mandate is to ensure water for generation of 750 MU on June 1, the first day of its water year. “There is shortage in the national power exchange, but we are managing by tapping all resources.
If there is no summer rain and consumption stays high, there will be a crisis, and we will be forced to purchase power from gas-based and imported coal-based power plants that charge more than rs 20 per unit,” said the official. A top official cautioned people to use power judiciously or there will be a power crunch. “We are running on power purchased from the national grid and dams are drying up. If internal generation plummets, we will be in trouble,” the official said.