Load-shedding likely in Kerala this summer

Power consumption is touching new highs

Load-shedding appears inevitable this summer too, despite the bountiful monsoon the State had received. File photo

Load-shedding appears inevitable this summer too, despite the bountiful monsoon the State had received earlier in the year, since power consumption is floating up to new highs with each passing day.

On March 22 was recorded the highest ever daily power consumption level in the State at 68.0917 million units. The record is going to get revised with each passing day into the month of May, because the hottest days of the summer are yet to come.

Faster rate

The highest power consumption level touched for the day last summer was 63 million units, which means the highest touched so far this summer has exceeded last summer’s by 5 million units, or by nearly eight per cent. Power consumption is growing in the State at a faster rate than was the case until four or five years ago, when a growth of five per cent year-to-year was the normal experience.

Peak load

And a couple of days ago, the peak load in the system touched a record high of 3,588 MW, which is 230 MW more than the highest peak reached during last summer.

How is the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) managing matters at the moment?

A top official with the planning section in the KSEB said: “We are sourcing nearly 550 MW from power traders. From the Central stations outside the State, we are getting between 1,250 to 1,300 MW of power, which is a big improvement over the level of 900 to 1,000 MW we used to get last year.

No coal shortage

The coal-based stations in south India are working without any problems since there is no coal shortage (as was the case last year) and the State is also getting nearly 100 MW from Kudankulam now. We are also drawing (expensive) power from liquid fuel stations such as Kayamkulam. And we are able to sustain the hydel generation at a level of around 20 million units a day thanks to the good monsoon we had received this year.”

However, the way in which power consumption is going up early in the summer, load-shedding seems inevitable, since the KSEB has many constraints in sustaining the power supply beyond the present level.

Constraints

For one, it may not be possible to bring to the State fully the power arranged from outside because of transmission constraints—as was the case on Monday, the official said. And the KSEB has to keep an eye on the cost of the electricity that can be bought from various sources.