KSEB asks staff to curb ACs, EV charging during peak hours amid power crisis

With the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) stretched thin and struggling to meet soaring demand, it has appealed to its employees to regulate their electricity usage during peak hours and set an example for consumers.

MG Rajamanickam, chairman and managing director of the KSEB, on Friday called for avoiding the use of unnecessary electrical equipment after 6 pm at all KSEB offices. He urged employees to switch off lights and fans that are not required and advised against using ACs.

He also appealed to staff to exercise caution in electricity usage at home, asking them to avoid using ACs as far as possible between 6 pm and midnight. He urged them to avoid charging electric vehicles during these hours and instead schedule charging for off-peak periods.

"Switching off every unnecessary light, fan and AC may seem like a small act, and the amount of electricity saved by each of us may be small. However, when thousands of KSEB employees do this together, it will become a powerful example and send a strong message," he said in the letter.

The appeal comes as the state grapples with an electricity crisis triggered by a surge in demand amid hot weather during the monsoon. At the same time last year, Kerala's average maximum demand was around 3,600-3,700 MW. This September, it has crossed 5,000 MW.

Additionally, relatively weak monsoons have left reservoir levels inadequate, further compounding the KSEB's difficulties.

Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph has attributed the widening supply-demand gap to a sharp rise in consumption, particularly due to increased air-conditioner use and electric vehicle charging during late hours.

The resulting shortage has led to a series of power cuts across the state during peak hours, drawing outrage in the form of memes and trolls that have flooded social media.

Joseph's speech at a KSEB event in Kochi earlier on Friday added to the satire. He recalled a warning from his mentor and senior Congress leader A K Antony that taking charge of the Electricity Department was like “donning a crown of thorns”. Joseph had just said he was working to "transform that crown of thorns into a crown of flowers" and acknowledged that the public's anxiety and concern over the electricity situation were understandable when the hall plunged into darkness.

However, Joseph said Kerala's worsening power shortage could not be resolved overnight and appealed to the public to cooperate with the restrictions.