Amid criticism over power cuts, Keralam CM says govt expects to ease electricity crisis by mid-September
Satheesan says instructions will be issued to Kerala State Electricity Board to streamline power cut announcements
Kerala's Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has addressed the ongoing power cuts plaguing the state, asserting that the government anticipates resolving the crisis by mid-September. During a press conference, Satheesan announced plans to issue directives to the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to refine the timing of power cuts.
The shortage of water in hydel power dams due to the weak monsoon season is responsible for the reduced power generation output. Additionally, the scarcity of coal for thermal power plants exacerbates the power supply issue. Satheesan reported an increase in demand during peak hours, with a difference of 800-900 MW compared to the same period last year.
The state government now faces the prospect of purchasing power at exorbitant rates, prompting the adoption of several measures to mitigate the impact on consumers. The CM attributed the crisis to the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government's decision to enter a long-term power purchase agreement, which the Oommen Chandy administration had signed with a rate of ₹4.29.
The LDF government later terminated the agreement and procured power at rates ranging from ₹8-₹14. Had the initial agreement remained in place, the current situation might have been averted. Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan had criticized the LDF government in July for signing the agreement despite internal disagreements. The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) subsequently canceled the deal.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
