Kerala power cut: Restrictions could stretch to 75 minutes as demand stays high

Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: Kerala could see further power restrictions if rains fail to arrive, as electricity consumption remains at April levels. 

The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) currently has no immediate means of avoiding the restrictions. It has proposed imposing power cuts twice a day, for 25 minutes each.

If power demand does not come down, a third round of restrictions could be imposed. In that case, the total duration of the power cuts could extend to one-and-a-quarter hours.

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The KSEB had recently entered into an agreement for 200 MW of power from Madhya Pradesh, with a provision to return the electricity later. However, under the agreement, Kerala can receive the power only if Madhya Pradesh has a surplus.

The power crisis has worsened as Kerala did not receive the contracted power over the past two days. The state Electricity Regulatory Commission has not approved agreements to purchase power at higher rates during September. Power companies had offered 100 MW during the early morning hours and 25 MW throughout the day at higher rates.

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The commission rejected the agreements after finding that they would not provide relief during the nighttime power crisis.

Power consumption on Saturday touched 9.63 crore units, the highest ever recorded in September.