'Impossible to say when it will end': Kerala seeks more power through short-term contracts; reservoirs hit 28% capacity
Keralam Minister for Electricity (Power) Sunny Joseph on Thursday said that it is difficult to predict how long the ongoing power crisis in the state
Keralam Minister for Electricity (Power) Sunny Joseph on Thursday said that it is difficult to predict how long the ongoing power crisis in the state will continue, citing a sharp rise in electricity consumption and a decline in reservoir water levels to 28 per cent. Speaking to reporters on power restrictions, Joseph added that the crisis in the state may continue for an uncertain period as electricity consumption has risen significantly while water levels in reservoirs have declined sharply. "It is not possible to say how long the power crisis will continue. Electricity consumption has increased significantly, while the water level in our reservoirs has dropped to just 28%," Joseph told reporters. Also Read | Kerala man traces friend after 35 years to repay cash borrowed in Saudi Arabia Keralam Pradesh Congress Committee President said the state government is exploring legal options to restore long-term power purchase agreements to ensure adequate electricity supply.
He added that Keralam is also repaying the power it had borrowed from other states during the crisis period. "We are examining the legal possibilities of restoring long-term power purchase agreements. At the same time, we are repaying the power we had borrowed from other states," he said. Joseph further stated that the government is making efforts to procure additional electricity through short-term contracts, despite the possibility of higher costs, and has sought approval from the Electricity Regulatory Commission for the same. "We are also trying to procure additional electricity through short-term contracts, even at a higher cost. Permission has been sought from the Electricity Regulatory Commission for this," the Minister said. The remarks come amid concerns over power availability in Keralam due to increased demand and reduced storage levels in reservoirs, which are a key source for the state's hydropower generation.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Keralam alleged that the state was facing a severe power crisis due to "serious planning failures" by the UDF government, claiming that widespread load shedding after a decade had returned amid declining power availability and low water storage levels in KSEB dams. In a post on X, Kerala CPI(M) wrote, “Kerala is once again staring at a severe power crisis. The widespread load shedding witnessed in the state after the UDF Government assumed office, the first in a decade, is the result of serious planning failures.” The party said the government failed to anticipate challenges caused by rising temperatures, deficient rainfall, the return of borrowed power and reduced availability of electricity in power exchanges. "As temperatures rose, expected rainfall failed to materialise, borrowed power had to be returned, and electricity availability in power exchanges declined.
The BriefWire