KSEB failed to anticipate Summer demand; Regulatory Commission blames board for power crisis

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission has stated that the severe power crisis currently facing the state is a direct result of KSEB’s lack of planning. In an order granting emergency permission to purchase 250 MW of power, the Commission highlighted significant lapses in anticipating summer requirements.

Despite KSEB having dedicated Core and Operations Committees for power procurement, the Commission noted a failure in assessing the ground reality. There were inadequacies in planning based on daily production, demand, and prevailing weather conditions. Furthermore, KSEB failed to submit the requested information to the Commission in a timely manner.

Key lapses identified

• Rising consumption: Climate change, a deficit in summer rains, and a shortage of LPG significantly drove up electricity consumption.
• Lack of awareness: Appropriate measures and awareness campaigns to reduce consumption during peak hours were not implemented.
• Swap agreement failures: KSEB failed to secure power through swap agreements with states where summer demand is lower.
• Repeating past mistakes: The summer power crisis is not a new phenomenon in Kerala. The Commission noted that KSEB should have made arrangements based on past experiences, specifically citing a similar situation in 2024.
• Delayed response: Although the lack of summer rain was evident by early March and the West Asian conflict worsened the LPG shortage, KSEB failed to establish an efficient monitoring system.

Surge in electricity consumption

The crisis in Kerala has been exacerbated by a massive spike in power usage due to the extreme summer heat. KSEB attributes the shortage to a reduction in power received through previous contracts and a delay in the Regulatory Commission’s approval to purchase electricity from the Term-Ahead Market. Additionally, several transformers are failing due to overloading.

Nationwide scarcity

The demand for electricity has surged in other states as well as the summer intensifies. National electricity demand hit a record high of 252.07 GW recently, surpassing the 2024 record of 250 GW.

Current statistics at a glance

• Water level in KSEB dams: 30.91%
• Daily donsumption (Saturday): 115.075 Million Units
• Peak hour demand: 5770 MW