Dark nights again! Power restrictions in state between 6:15 PM and 12:45 AM, KSEB with announcement

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala State Electricity Board announced the possibility of power restrictions in the state today. A press release indicated that power curbs might be necessary between 6:15 PM and 12:45 AM. KSEB stated that, due to high electricity consumption, the state is likely to face a supply deficit of approximately 700 to 900 megawatts today compared to previous days.

According to KSEB, the rising nationwide demand for electricity has led to a significant drop in the power available through power exchanges, necessitating restrictions. Temperatures have risen above last year's levels due to a rainfall deficit caused by the El Niño phenomenon.

The National Load Despatch Centre warned of a potential drop in electricity availability, given the combination of significantly reduced wind power generation nationwide and rising electricity demand. Amid the ongoing power crisis in the state, KSEB has decided against purchasing electricity at Rs 30 per unit. This means that the plan to procure 300 MW from NTPC has been dropped.

This decision was made to avoid imposing a massive financial burden on the public in the future. Currently, the only confirmed supply is 150 MW of power from the central pool.