THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Coupled with the searing summer heat, the beginning of the examination season in the state is putting intense pressure on the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). According to Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed, there was no “power crisis’’ in the state at the moment, but the KSEB faced a shortfall of an average 340 megawatts (MW) daily. The shortage of power in the state is due to increasing consumption levels, shortage of power in the power markets and snags in inter-state transmission. On a few days, the KSEB had to impose restrictions owing to problems in central supply, he told the Assembly in a written reply on Tuesday. Steps are being taken to ensure that the examination season goes off smoothly without loadsheddings and powercuts, he said. The demand during this period will be met through upping internal hydel generation, power purchases from outside the state and additional scheduling of power from NTPC’s Rajiv Gandhi Combined Cycle Project, Kayamkulam, he said. While there is no power “crisis’’ in the state at the moment, the state does face shortage. On an average, the state faced a shortfall of 340 megawatts (MW) every day. The average daily peak demand is about 3300 MW. At present, the availability is only 2960 MW. Of this, generation from the hydel stations in the state accounts for 1600 MW; thermal stations in the state accounts for 140 MW; RGCCP, Kayamkulam, provides 150 MW and the central generation stations, 1070 MW. The deficit of 340 MW is being met through power purchases, the Minister said. As on March 1, there was water in the hydel reservoirs enough to generate 2228.3 million units (MU). This will suffice to generate 22 MU on an average daily up to May 31 and conserve 550 MU from June 1 onwards until the onset of the south-west monsoon.
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