KOCHI: Kerala continued to experience a tight power situation on Tuesday as prolonged dry weather and constrained national generation kept the state dependent on external supplies. Officials said the deficit could persist for several weeks even as the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) explores fresh procurement avenues.
Supply gap and recent grid flows
State authorities reported a substantial reduction in the quantum of power available from the national grid after generation from wind farms fell steeply. The drop in inter-regional availability amounted to about 5,000 MW, further tightening an already stressed system. On Monday, Kerala drew 75 MW from GRIDCO (Odisha) and 15 MW from ACBIL, but that was insufficient to meet demand, leaving the state with an estimated shortfall.
- Shortage on Monday: around 800 MW
- Shortage on Tuesday: around 700 MW
- Emergency purchases: KSEB secured 150 MW from eight generating units in western India on Monday
Options being pursued
KSEB is intensifying talks with other utilities and suppliers to bridge the deficit. Chairman M G Rajamanickam was scheduled to travel to Delhi to meet senior officials, including the chairman of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India, in a bid to firm up additional allocations. Officials also said the board had received an offer from Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL) for 210 MW of supply.
| Source | Quantity | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| GRIDCO (Odisha) | 75 MW | Received on Monday |
| ACBIL | 15 MW | Received on Monday |
| HPPCL (Himachal) | 210 MW | Offer: 130 MW daytime, 80 MW night; costlier at ₹13.50/unit |
Cost and timing concerns
Officials cautioned that not all offers are operationally useful. HPPCL’s proposal, priced at ₹13.50 per unit, was noted as costlier than prevailing market rates; moreover, the bulk of that supply would be available during daylight hours. KSEB’s peak requirement typically occurs in the evening and late night — between about 6:15 pm and 2:00 am — when residential cooling demand rises, reducing the usefulness of daytime-only allocations.
“We haven’t received any assurance regarding availability of power, but we are exploring all possible ways to secure power. There is no power available in the realtime market as demand remains high across the country,”
said the KSEB chairman ahead of his Delhi trip. The chairman reiterated the board’s reluctance to buy at excessively high prices, citing the risk of passing extra cost onto consumers and potential public unrest.
Operational measures and outlook
KSEB officials said they are deploying a mix of short-term purchases and technical measures to balance the system. Additional short-term allocation from western generation units began flowing from Tuesday, and the board sent teams to northern states to review supply prospects directly.
Supply-side experts noted that a fall in North India temperatures would likely reduce national peak demand and may free up capacity for Kerala. KSEB is therefore hopeful that a weather-driven dip in demand in the northern grid will relieve pressures in the coming weeks.
What consumers should expect
For now, consumers are likely to face constrained supply during evening peak hours. The board has avoided announcing large-scale planned outages but warned that load-shedding could be considered if shortfalls deepen or if purchased power proves unaffordable. Authorities urged prudent electricity use, particularly during peak evening hours.
State officials indicated that the situation could improve by October if inter-state allocations increase and thermal generation constraints ease nationally, but they declined to give a firm timeline.
Key immediate actions for residents:
- Limit non-essential appliance use during 6:15 pm–2:00 am peak window.
- Prefer energy-efficient lighting and cooling settings.
- Prepare for possible short-duration interruptions and keep essential devices charged.
The KSEB continues to monitor grid conditions in coordination with the Central Electricity Authority and neighbouring utilities as the state manages through the current supply challenge.
