THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the summer heating up, the water in the state's hydropower reservoirs has reduced. Only 39 percent of water is left in dams under KSEB for power generation. Only 35 percent of water is left in the Idukki Dam. With this, KSEB is worried that it will have to buy more electricity from outside. For the second day in a week, electricity consumption in the state crossed 100 million units. 100.35 million units were consumed on Monday.

KSEB is currently supplying uninterrupted power by augmenting generation during peak hours and by purchasing electricity from outside. The daily production from hydropower projects is 28.638 million units, including 14.01 million units from Idukki and 5.7 million units from Sabarigiri. The remaining 72 million units are procured from outside the state.

There is no shortage of power supply from outside the state. KSEB is obtaining electricity from power exchange as well. Things have not yet reached the point where electricity has to be purchased above Rs 10 per unit. KSEB estimates that daily consumption will reach 104 million units in the coming days. KSEB will have to purchase electricity at a higher cost if the state does not receive rain in the coming days. The cost of thermal power is very high due to the countrywide coal shortage and the instruction to use more expensive imported coal.