The Hindu : Kerala News : Kerala headed for power crisis

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Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala

Kerala headed for power crisis

Thiruvananthapuram: Facing a peak-time deficit of 1,500 MW, Kerala is headed for a power crisis due to sharp reduction in its share from the Central grid and virtual stoppage of supply from the unallocated pool.

Power cut and load-shedding appear to be in store for the State, which relies heavily on its hydel base. It is not in a position to meet the growing demand-supply gap, an official source said.

“The situation is really serious. We will be forced to take hard measures if the State’s due share from the Central pool is not restored,” a spokesman of Electricity Ministry A.K. Balan said.

The State’s average generation from hydel projects was 1,200-1,300 MW as against the peak load demand of 2,700-2,800 MW. The deficit used to be partly offset by allocation from the Central pool, which was stopped a few months ago. About 50 MW of power from the unallocated pool was cut at a stretch in December.

About a year ago, the State was deprived of 133 MW, which has not been restored since then.

It will be a heavy burden on the State to meet its demand from the 360-MW Kayamkulam thermal plant of the National Thermal Power Corporation and other smaller non-hydel sources in the State, considering the huge cost of power generated by them.

The State is now drawing up to 180 MW from Kayamkulam, which costs Rs.7.90 a unit, much higher than electricity from hydel sources.

The State government has taken up the matter with the Centre demanding restoration of the reduced share from the central grid, the spokesman said.The government and the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) are thinking how to overcome the crisis without causing much hardship to the consumers.

The capacity of the reservoirs has limitations. At present, the reservoirs in the State have storage to last 40 to 60 days, considering the present level of consumption.

Power consumption in the State went up considerably in the last two years with allotment of eight-lakh new connections, both domestic as well as industrial.

The State has an installed capacity of about 4,000 MW from 24 hydel, five thermal and one wind projects. Of this, the electricity Board’s hydel projects accounts for 1,850 MW, captive plants 33 MW and thermal plants 234 MW. It has 90.01 lakh consumers, 70 lakh of them domestic. — PTI

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