Electric shock accidents repeating; stubbornness towards smart meters also; Kerala to lose 10475 crores meant for electricity security

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala is not ready to accept the Rs 10,475 crore allocated by the Centre to prevent disasters caused by power lines and ensure safe power supply. Despite the frequent loss of lives due to falling power lines and toppling posts, Kerala is turning its back due to political stubbornness.

This amount was allocated to Kerala in 2021 from the Rs 3.03 lakh crore allocated for all states. The smart meter project was stipulated to be completed by 2026. Kerala rejected the project, saying that the smart meter implementation system was not acceptable. Ultimately, Kerala had to adopt smart meters, but the project devised for smart meters is now awaiting the tender. Tenders were called for projects worth Rs 1640 crore in 163 packages for smart meters. It is certain that it will not be completed by 2026. With this, the central benefit will be lost forever.

The state had announced a Rs 10,000 crore project to improve the distribution system by including Dyuthi, E.Safe and Transgrid 2. It could not be implemented due to a lack of money. It was later realised that the technical expertise was not acquired. Now Kerala is waiting after preparing a Rs 2,500 crore project to modernise the distribution system and submitting it to the Centre. The Centre had offered a 60% grant to improve the distribution system and a 15% subsidy for smart meters.

Kerala's argument

• Announcement that projects worth Rs 4035.57 crore will be implemented in four years.
• The main items were a computer-controlled power distribution system in five major cities, 227 transformers to reduce power losses, 6959 km of armoured conductors in densely populated areas, forest areas and areas with excessive tree cover, earthing of 461752 electricity posts to ensure safety, and 35198 pole top distribution boxes to modernise the network.
• 16258 fault passage detectors will be installed to immediately identify and provide information on areas facing supply disruption. It was announced that these would be developed by KSEB officials. Nothing happened.

Easy to lose

• RDSS is a centrally sponsored scheme to ensure quality in the transmission and distribution stages and enable complete electrification.

• KSEB's projects worth Rs 10,475 crore received central approval as part of this. Rs 8205 crore was for smart meter expansion and Rs 2270 crore for distribution network modernisation.

• Unions and the government took a stand that smart meters cannot be implemented on the Totex model.

States that rejected: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Delhi, Punjab, Meghalaya

One year: 241 deaths

People killed: 222

Electricity workers killed: 19

Seriously injured: 105

(Six people have died since April, including a school student in Thevalakkara.)