‘‘Regular power cuts will continue, no magic switch or market solution available’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Power restrictions will continue in the state, and the present crisis cannot be stopped by simply flipping a switch or resolve through miracles, said Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph. He said that he understands the difficulties faced by the public and appealed for everyone’s cooperation. However, the minister said efforts are being made to introduce a uniform schedule for power cuts and to ensure that power cuts occur at the same time throughout a particular week.

Under the new system, an SMS informing consumers about the power-cut schedule will be sent to their registered mobile numbers one and a half hours before the scheduled outage. The system, including the sending of such messages, has been arranged through the ‘With You’ app. Consumers do not need to download the app themselves.

‘Electricity demand has increased by more than 1,000 megawatts compared to the same period last year. The situation has changed with the increasing number of fans and air conditioners in newly constructed buildings, along with the growing use of electric vehicles and their charging requirements. Electric vehicles are generally charged at night. Therefore, we are being forced to extend peak hours and implement power restrictions more than once, he said.

Electricity consumption has increased while power generation has reduced. This is not something that can suddenly be bought from the market. If we have to enter into an agreement in this regard, it involves a lengthy process, including inviting tenders and obtaining approvals from the regulatory commission. Efforts are underway to complete the measures needed to resolve the crisis as quickly as possible. People should understand the situation,’ he said.