Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is heading to a power crisis as the water levels in the State’s dams have plunged with poor rain in their catchment areas this monsoon. Power could be purchased from outside the State in order to tide over the likely shortfall. The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) will conduct an emergency meeting today to take a decision in this regard.
The meeting is being convened on a submission made by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). Also, the contracts for buying 365 MW of electricity from two companies expire today.
The KSEB has been buying 150 MW from Jindal India Power Limited and 250 MW from Jhabua Power. If the regulatory body gives its approval to continue with the contracts, the present crisis being faced in the power sector will ease for the time-being.
After the Commission takes a decision, the KSEB will hold a meeting at 4 p.m. and inform the government of the situation prevailing in the power sector.
Thereafter, the Chief Minister has to take a decision on imposing restrictions such as load shedding in view of the looming power crisis.
Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty had said the other day that the crisis in the sector was so critical that load shedding may have to be imposed.
The situation will ease only if the northeast monsoon brings copious rains.
Idukki dam level
Currently, the Idukki Dam holds water only for 31% of its storage capacity. Only 669.16 million units of electricity can be produced by using this water. At present, only 4.2 million units of electricity is being produced at the Moolamattom power plant. The stored water here is sufficient to produce power for 150 more days.
(Mega Unit is one million units of electricity. One unit is equal to one Kilowatt hour.)
CM’s meet on smart meter on August 25
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Electricity Minister will hold discussions on August 25 on whether to give a nod for the installation of smart meters.
The Chief Minister is of the opinion that the project should not be implemented by awarding contracts to private companies.
Meanwhile, the Union government has reiterated its stand that unless the central model is adopted in implementing the smart meter scheme, it will not release funds to the State.
