300 MW relief: Uttar Pradesh, Himachal to Kerala’s rescue amid power crunch

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala, which continues to face a severe power shortage, will receive 300 MW of electricity from Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, offering some relief to the state amid the ongoing crisis.

Of the 300 MW, 200 MW will come from Uttar Pradesh and 100 MW from Himachal Pradesh under a power-swap arrangement. While the additional supply will not completely resolve the crisis, it is expected to provide some relief. The state currently requires up to an additional 900 MW to completely overcome the shortage.

Power from the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation will begin reaching Kerala from Thursday. A team of KSEB directors that travelled to North India in search of additional power received an assurance to this effect.

Kerala will receive 100 MW from Himachal Pradesh during peak hours under a swap arrangement under which 100 MW will be supplied back to Himachal Pradesh during the daytime. The arrangement is based on the difference in demand patterns in the two states, with electricity demand in Himachal Pradesh being higher during the day and lower at night.
There had been hopes of securing 250 MW from Himachal Pradesh following efforts by K.C. Venugopal, MP.

Meanwhile, efforts have begun to secure another 100 MW during night hours from Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), one of the country's major power-generating companies, based in Kolkata. Discussions with the corporation are expected to be held soon.

Short-term agreement with Maharashtra

Kerala may receive 275 MW of electricity from Nashik in Maharashtra from the end of December. The power will come from a thermal power plant jointly operated by NTPC and Maharashtra State Power Generation Company. The tariff will be ₹5.11 per unit. Efforts are underway to enter into a short-term power purchase agreement, and preliminary discussions have been completed.

Power cuts continue

Power cuts continued tonight as the state failed to secure the required amount of electricity from the power exchange. The 200 MW of electricity expected from Madhya Pradesh under a swap arrangement was also not available on Wednesday.