'Why this resistance?' Satheesan hits out at KSEB officials over renewable energy as Kerala faces power crisis

Kochi: Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Saturday sharply criticised some KSEB officials for creating hurdles to renewable energy projects, saying such resistance was hurting Kerala's efforts to address its power crisis.

“Some KSEB officials get annoyed when we talk about promoting renewable energy projects,” Satheesan said while speaking at a KSEB-organised expo in Kochi, questioning the reasons behind the opposition. He also acknowledged the fact that Kerala is currently facing a power crisis.

Satheesan made the remarks in the presence of former KSEB chairpersons and other senior officials.

He said Kerala currently spends around ₹13,000 crore to purchase electricity from outside the state and that the amount is expected to rise to ₹16,000 crore this year.

Satheesan also criticised what he described as an approach among some officials of "stirring up the pond and catching fish", saying such practices were working against the state's interests.

He said the government had noticed instances in which electricity connections were being disconnected unnecessarily four or five times in some places, apparently with the intention of worsening the power crisis.
“Strict action will be taken against such practices,” the Chief Minister said.

Cost of cancelled power deal
Satheesan also criticised the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government for cancelling a long-term power purchase agreement signed during the tenure of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

Under the agreement, Kerala was to receive 465 MW of electricity for 25 years at ₹4.29 per unit. The previous government cancelled the agreement eight years after it was signed, citing technical errors in the procedures, Satheesan said.

Instead of procuring power at the lower rate under the agreement, the state was subsequently forced to purchase electricity from outside at rates ranging from ₹8 to ₹14 per unit, he said.

Satheesan said achieving self-sufficiency in the power sector was the permanent solution to Kerala's energy crisis.

A new power policy aimed at promoting renewable and solar energy will be announced during the Assembly session scheduled for October, he said. A new electricity regulatory policy will also be introduced.

The Chief Minister said Kerala could not rely solely on hydropower as the state faced limitations in developing new hydroelectric projects. He added that there is a need to identify non-conventional sources of energy.

Electricity demand in Kerala has increased significantly compared with previous years, while procuring sufficient power from outside the state has also become difficult, Satheesan said. He added that the government would focus on resolving the crisis efficiently rather than assigning responsibility for it to individuals or previous administrations.