Kerala power crisis: KSEB to procure more electricity to avoid outages during FIFA World Cup final
Kerala faces four days of power cuts due to high demand and market shortages, with up to five hours of load management enforced. KSEB seeks new agreements and asks consumers to reduce usage to avoid further restrictions.
Kerala faces four days of power cuts due to high demand and market shortages, with up to five hours of load management enforced. KSEB seeks new agreements and asks consumers to reduce usage to avoid further restrictions.
Kerala faces four days of power cuts due to high demand and market shortages, with up to five hours of load management enforced. KSEB seeks new agreements and asks consumers to reduce usage to avoid further restrictions.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala continued to face prolonged power restrictions for the fourth consecutive day as soaring electricity demand across the state and a shortage of power in the market left the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) struggling to procure additional supply.
With India's peak electricity demand touching 300 GW, the state has been enforcing up to five hours of load management. In most areas, consumers have been experiencing two one-hour power cuts during the night.
KSEB is trying to secure fresh power purchase agreements to ensure adequate electricity availability over the coming months, particularly with the Onam season approaching.
The utility currently relies on the real-time electricity market, where power is purchased after assessing demand and availability. Since supply for the next hour is confirmed less than an hour in advance, KSEB says it is often unable to inform consumers beforehand about the exact timing of power cuts.
If sufficient electricity is unavailable, substations with higher loads are instructed to switch off specific feeders for a fixed duration.
KSEB has appealed to consumers to help reduce demand, saying power cuts before 10 pm could be avoided if households switched on air conditioners only at bedtime. It has also advised consumers to set air conditioners above 25°C and avoid keeping fans and lights switched on unnecessarily.
According to the board, reducing the state's electricity demand by around 800 MW would be enough to avoid power cuts.
KSEB plans round-the-clock purchases for World Cup final
KSEB Chairman and Managing Director M G Rajamanikyam said the board has decided to procure 24-hour power supply at a higher price on July 19 and 20 to avoid outages during the FIFA World Cup final.
He said the decision was taken because no company was willing to supply electricity only during the night, making it necessary to purchase round-the-clock power instead.
Meanwhile, Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph said a proposed nuclear power plant at Cheemeni in Kasaragod could be operated safely. He said the government was prepared to discuss the project with leaders of all political parties and the public, adding that technical studies and a consensus-based approach were essential before moving forward.