Action plan to avoid load shedding; KSEB gets permission to take loan of Rs 500 crores

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Chief Minister has prepared an action plan to save KSEB, which has reached the point of introducing load shedding because of a financial crunch due to a lack of money to purchase energy. The aim is to avoid load shedding. Kerala Kaumudi had reported that KSEB had warned the government that it would have to resort to load shedding if it did not receive the money due from the government.

With the electricity consumption in the state reaching a record high, a high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary has been formed to manage and guide the affairs till the end of the summer. The government also allowed KSEB to take a loan of Rs 500 crore to solve the financial crisis. The government will provide a guarantee for this. The government will intervene to clear the electricity dues of government institutions promptly. It will be overseen by the High Power Committee. 768 crore rupees owed by the government will be handed over to the KSEB immediately.

Record electricity consumption
Electricity consumption in the state has been above 100 million units per day for the last one week. Yesterday, it reached a record of 101.88 million units. KSEB is currently in a position to buy power from outside at a huge cost. It requires Rs 15 to 20 crores per day to buy electricity from the highprice power exchange. It is estimated that the board will have to find at least Rs 1477 crore more to get through the months of March, April and May.