THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The KSEB and the LDF government decided against imposing load shedding for fear of not getting central grants and other projects from the centre in the future. The performance of KSEB will be assessed while seeking interest-free loans, sanctioning grants and new projects and if the word, ‘load shedding’ is mentioned in the application, the KSEB stands to lose the benefits. The entire crisis being faced by the KSEB now is linked to the long-term Power Purchase Agreement entered into between the KSEB and power companies in May 2023 that was cancelled by the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission later.
The board had decided to push for load shedding if the power situation becomes bleak further. But later it realised that there were practical difficulties in going ahead with the load shedding as the Union power ministry evaluates the KSEB’s performances based on several parameters. KSEB has been feeling the heat ever since it realised late that it has difficulties in distributing power despite having it. A senior KSEB official told TNIE that over the last three years the board had not initiated any steps to improve its distribution network.
“When the demand for power increases, the KSEB has to make sure that its existing system is enhanced. It has not bothered to enhance the capacity of transformers and feeders. In northern districts, more than 500 transformers experienced issues as the distribution network almost collapsed. Fortunately, the board initiated enhancement work in southern districts which did not see much power outage during peak hours”, said a senior KSEB official. With the transformers dripping and oil overflowing from them in northern districts, the board decided to bring in measures to bring in alternative steps to overcome the crisis there. The board officials feel that it’s the lack of vision and planning which has pushed the KSEB to think of imposing load shedding. Another top board official told TNIE that this burgeoning power crisis has brought to focus the 25-year-long 465 mw Power Purchase Agreement signed in May 2023 when Aryadan Mohammed was the power minister, which was subsequently cancelled.
“If the PPA was in force, there would not have been any power crisis in the state. We would have got power at Rs 4.29 per unit instead of the Rs 10 per unit which will be bought from a private power company during May. The board and the LDF government should hold those officials responsible for pushing the state into power crisis”, said a top board official on condition of anonymity.