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, with KSEB saying the restrictions are necessary to manage the widening gap between demand and available supply.
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KSEB is now working to secure fresh power purchase agreements to ensure adequate electricity availability over the coming months, particularly with the Onam season approaching, when electricity consumption is expected to rise further.
At present, the utility depends heavily on the real-time electricity market, where power is purchased based on demand and availability for the following hour. Since electricity allocation is confirmed less than an hour before supply, KSEB says it is often impossible to notify consumers in advance about the exact timing of power cuts. When sufficient electricity cannot be procured, substations with higher demand are instructed to switch off specific feeders for a fixed duration to balance the load.
The board has also appealed to consumers to help reduce electricity consumption. It said power cuts before 10 pm could largely be avoided if households switched on air conditioners only at bedtime instead of earlier in the evening. Consumers have also been advised to set air conditioners above 25°C and avoid leaving fans and lights running unnecessarily. According to KSEB, reducing the state’s overall electricity demand by around 800 MW would be enough to eliminate the need for power cuts..
In a relief for football fans, KSEB Chairman and Managing Director M G Rajamanikyam announced that the board has decided to procure 24-hour electricity supply at a higher cost on July 19 and 20 to avoid power outages during the FIFA World Cup final. He explained that the decision was taken because no supplier was willing to provide electricity exclusively during the night, making it necessary for KSEB to purchase round-the-clock power despite the higher cost.
Meanwhile, Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph said the proposed nuclear power plant at Cheemeni in Kasaragod could be operated safely if all technical and safety requirements are met. He said the state government is prepared to hold discussions with leaders of all political parties as well as the public before taking any decision. The minister stressed that detailed technical studies and a consensus-based approach would be essential before moving ahead with the project.
