Kerala Faces Electricity Crisis: Power Consumption Crosses 106 Million Units
As Kerala grapples with an unprecedented surge in summer temperatures, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is facing a historic challenge with skyrocketing electricity consumption. On Wednesday, the state witnessed an astounding consumption of 106.8882 million units, marking a significant milestone in KSEB’s history. This surge in demand has persisted for the past two weeks, leading to concerns over voltage fluctuations and inadequate supply.
Complaints regarding low voltage have been on the rise, attributed to the strain on transformers caused by excessive consumption surpassing their capacity. Despite KSEB’s appeals to minimize high-voltage equipment usage during peak hours, consumer cooperation remains limited.
The peak hours of 6 pm to 11 pm witness the highest electricity consumption, resulting in voltage drops due to increased demand. To address this issue, the government is contemplating the introduction of load shedding measures. However, any decision regarding load shedding is deferred until after Kerala’s state elections scheduled for April 26th.
Out of the total electricity consumed on Wednesday, domestic production accounted for a mere 13.14 million units, highlighting the heavy reliance on imports. A staggering 90.27 million units were procured from other states, with an additional 20 million units purchased from the power exchange at market rates ranging from 8 to 12 rupees per unit, and occasionally reaching as high as Rs 20 per unit.
The financial burden of meeting this heightened demand is substantial, with an extra expenditure of Rs 256 crore incurred in March alone for purchasing power from other states. Moreover, consumers are subjected to a surcharge of 19 paise per unit in April, further adding to the economic strain amidst the electricity crisis.
