KOCHI: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) will be restructured under one umbrella, though the Centre insists that it be split into three units for power generation, transmission and distribution, respectively, Minister for Electricity A.K. Balan said here on Sunday.

At a meet-the-press programme organised by the Ernakulam Press Club, he said the Board would be retained in the public sector, despite the Centre demanding that it be made a company.

"The State urgently needs at least 1,000 MW of power, in addition to the existing availability. The aim is to provide quality power to domestic and commercial consumers, without disruption. As of now, 50 per cent of the power is purchased from other States, paying up to Rs. 8 per unit. But consumers here are being charged much less."

He said the number of consumers would soon increase from the present 82 lakh to 1 crore.

There was a need for more hydroelectric projects in the State.

Environmentalists were blindly opposing hydroelectric power projects, such as the one in Athirappilly. Unless work started now, the State would land up in a power crisis, and power cuts would be the order of the day.

Mr. Balan said industrial units in Ernakulam needed at least 600 MW of power, and mooted a "power transmission highway" from Koodamkulam to Ernakulam, through Edamon, Pathanapuram, Ranni, Kottayam, Kaduthuruthy and Piravom. The Board would have to acquire just 4.8 hectares of land for the purpose, considering that each transmission tower required 4 cents of land.

The Government owed Rs. 4,500 crore as subsidy to the KSEB. The Government departments and private parties owed Rs. 1,400 crore, he added.

Power theft

He said stern action was being taken against those who indulged in power theft. The anti-power-theft squad collected Rs. 7.5 crore during the past five months. The Electrical Inspectorate had been asked to conduct an inquiry into the death of two linemen from short-circuits, he said.

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