Thiruvananthapuram: In a major relief to consumers, Kerala managed to avoid power restrictions over the weekend due to the availability of additional electricity from neighbouring states Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, coupled with a dip in temperature brought by recent rains.

To bridge a deficit of 300 to 500 MW experienced on Saturday night between 7.00 pm and midnight, where peak demand touched 4,833 MW at 7.17 pm, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) purchased around 650 MW of power at high market rates, aided by the absence of congestion in the transmission power corridor.

However, KSEB officials have warned that drawing excess power from the grid beyond the scheduled quota violates the national Grid Code and cannot be treated as a permanent solution.

On Sunday, the state's peak demand dropped significantly to 4,266 MW at 7.24 pm, a reduction of 600 to 700 MW, as widespread rainfall lowered atmospheric temperatures and eliminated the need for load shedding.

Despite this temporary weekend relief, officials maintain that Kerala's core power crisis remains critical due to a delayed monsoon, depleting water levels in hydel dams, and an ongoing nationwide shortage of electricity.