Kerala may face fresh power crisis in November

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The temporary relief from Kerala’s power crisis may end soon, with electricity supply from Himachal Pradesh available only until October 31. If temperatures rise in November, demand will go up, and power restrictions may become unavoidable. Current estimates suggest a shortfall of up to 600 MW in November.

Himachal Pradesh supplies up to 900 MW during peak hours at Rs 14.50 per unit. The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) had approached the government seeking to extend the agreement till May, but permission has not been granted. The Board had hoped to renegotiate the rate to Rs 12-13 per unit, and discussions were also held on this. However, the Regulatory Commission allows power purchase at a maximum of Rs 10 per unit. KSEB had planned to first get the government’s nod, move ahead with the agreement and then seek the Commission’s approval.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan has reportedly agreed to buy power from Himachal Pradesh in November at Rs 15.50 per unit. This means that even if Kerala gets the government’s permission, there is no guarantee that Himachal will be able to supply power as per its requirement.

Rain recedes, demand climbs

With the rains receding, electricity consumption has risen again. On Tuesday, peak-hour demand came close to 5,000 MW, touching 4,994 MW. The total daily consumption stood at 91.8747 million units. There was a small relief from the reservoirs, where water levels have inched up. The storage, which was at 61 per cent last week, is now at 64 per cent.