Idukki: Kerala has achieved the long-held dream of becoming a state free from power cuts and load shedding, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Wednesday. He was inaugurating the Pallivasal Extension Project and the golden jubilee celebrations of the Idukki Hydroelectric Project.

The Chief Minister said that a Kerala without load shedding and power cuts was once considered only a dream, but it has now become a reality.

“Everyone knows what power cuts and load shedding meant earlier. There used to be load shedding for as long as four and a half hours in the state,” he said.

Referring to the past functioning of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), he said the institution once lacked even the level of management efficiency seen in a small rural tea shop. However, the organisation has now transformed into an efficient institution through collective efforts.

He noted that the board now completes projects even before the deadlines announced, reflecting the high level of efficiency it has achieved. Within two years, the state generated electricity equivalent to the total power produced in Kerala since its formation, the CM pointed out.

“First, power cuts disappeared, and later load shedding also came to an end,” he said.

Several power projects in progress
The Chief Minister said that several major power projects are currently progressing in the state. These include the 800-MW Idukki Golden Jubilee Project, the 240-MW Lakshmi Hydroelectric Project, and the 450-MW Sabarigiri Renovation Project. All these projects are based on renewable energy sources and will have minimal impact on nature.

He added that the state aims to depend entirely on renewable energy sources for power generation by 2040.

Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty presided over the function held at the Pallivasal Extension Project powerhouse premises.

MLAs A Raja and MM Mani, KSEB Chairman and Managing Director Minhaj Alam, Director (Generation) Sajeev G, Chief Engineer Vinod V, members of the three-tier panchayat system, political representatives and department officials attended the event.