THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V D Satheesan has sought to distance himself from the controversy over the proposed power purchase from GNA Energy, maintaining that he did not yield to pressure from the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to sign an agreement amid warnings of imminent load shedding.
Admitting that the government is not proceeding with the GNA deal for now, Satheesan said the current power situation did not warrant an immediate purchase. He, however, maintained that the state would need to procure electricity in the coming months and that the government would opt for the cheapest available source.
“There was not even an order. Not even an agreement. Nothing was there. Without an agreement, without an order, how can we withdraw from an agreement?” he asked in response to queries at a post-Cabinet media briefing.
The chief minister said the file forwarded to him by the Electricity Minister contained two options — power from Himachal Pradesh at Rs 14.50 per unit and from GNA at Rs 8.63-Rs 8.90. "Though GNA was the cheaper option, the government sought an assessment of the immediate requirement before proceeding," he clarified.
Satheesan said the authorities had indicated that there would be no power shortage in November and December, though a problem could arise later. He rejected the opposition's allegation that the government had engineered an artificial shortage to facilitate power purchases, attributing the September crisis to inadequate planning by the previous government and a 1,000 MW rise in demand compared with the same month last year.
The chief minister said the former KSEB chairman's warning of imminent load shedding if power purchase was not carried out immediately needed to be examined. Asked whether an inquiry was planned, he replied, “It has to be examined.”
Outlining the government's response, Satheesan said it would pursue both short-term purchases and long-term agreements, depending on the requirement and price. He said planning for next year's power needs had already begun, with preparations starting from January.
The government would also work towards a permanent solution through long-term power procurement arrangements and other measures, including expanding renewable energy generation and battery storage. Satheesan said the aim was to complete the long-term agreement process within the month and ensure that electricity was purchased at the lowest available rate.
“We will purchase at less price,” he said, adding that the government would not commit to a purchase merely because a file recommended it.
