Thiruvananthapuram, 14 September (H.S.):The Kerala government has allowed the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to purchase electricity from outside the State at rates of up to ₹30 per unit in an emergency measure aimed at ending load shedding and power cuts.

The additional power is expected to become available from Monday. Until now, the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission had permitted the Board to purchase electricity at a maximum rate of ₹10 per unit. However, considering the severity of the crisis, the KSEB decided to procure costlier power after obtaining special permission from the government.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting attended by Chief Minister V D Satheesan, Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph and KSEB chairman M G Rajamanickam. The meeting was convened after repeated nighttime power disruptions affected normal life and triggered widespread protests.

The KSEB had earlier informed the government that several other States were managing similar shortages by purchasing electricity at higher rates.

Under the new arrangement, Kerala will receive 300 MW of electricity from NTPC’s Ratnagiri power plant at ₹30 per unit until the end of this month. Verbal agreements have also been reached to purchase 150 MW each from Odisha and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India.

Electricity from Odisha will cost ₹10 per unit, while the price of nuclear power will be finalised when the supply is approved.

Kerala requires up to 800 MW of additional electricity from external sources on days when consumption rises sharply. The KSEB expects that securing 600 MW will enable it to meet the remaining shortage through the real-time power market or purchases from other States.

Officials believe the arrangement will help completely withdraw the prevailing power restrictions and load shedding. The Board had avoided restrictions recently after obtaining 1,024 MW from the real-time electricity market.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman