Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has said that the state does not need to purchase additional electricity during November and December. KSEB Chairman N Prasanth and the Energy Secretary informed Chief Minister V D Satheesan of the assessment.

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The Chief Minister has directed officials to examine a report submitted by M G Rajamanickam, who had earlier served as KSEB chairman, warning of a possible power shortage in the state in November. He has also ordered a review of Rajamanickam's recommendation to procure electricity from Himachal Pradesh.
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With KSEB maintaining that there will be no power shortage during the next two months, the government is understood to be reconsidering its plan to purchase electricity through the private platform GNA.

The government had decided to purchase 500 MW of electricity at Rs 8.90 per unit, on a 24-hour basis, from November to March. However, following the latest assessment by KSEB and the Energy Secretary that there would be no power crisis in November and December, the government is set to drop the proposed GNA power purchase for now.
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The government reportedly suspects that Rajamanickam had projected a severe power shortage in November and put pressure on the Chief Minister over the issue. Satheesan has also directed officials to examine why Rajamanickam had pushed for purchasing electricity from Himachal Pradesh.