Relief for Kerala as regulator approves 177 MW power purchase from NTPC

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The regulatory commission has approved the purchase of 177 MW of electricity from NTPC, providing some relief to Kerala amid the ongoing power crisis.

Kerala will purchase 80 MW from NTPC’s Barh Stage-I power plant and 97 MW from Barh Stage-II. The tariff for the 80 MW allocation is Rs 5.52 per unit, while the 97 MW allocation will cost Rs 4.67 per unit. The agreement will remain valid until April 30, 2029. The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is making efforts to enter into more power purchase agreements with NTPC and other companies to address the state's power shortage.

During a meeting between Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and NTPC CMD Gurdeep Singh the other day, an agreement was reached for NTPC to supply 300 MW of electricity to Kerala. The discussions also covered several other projects that could benefit the state. NTPC has expressed its willingness to make further investments in Kerala’s power sector.