The State government will strive to realise more mini-hydroelectric power projects, Minister for Electricity M.M. Mani has said.
After commissioning the 3-MW Kakkayam mini-hydroelectric power project on Monday, the Minister said such projects would help Kerala attain self-sufficiency in the sector.
“We are in the process of clearing the technical hurdles to some of the pending projects,” he said.
The government intended to strengthen rooftop power generation schemes sourcing solar energy and to generate 1,000 MW, Mr. Mani said. The Kerala State Electricity Board would provide technical assistance to those interested and the excess power could be sold to the KSEB for additional revenue, he said.
On challenges faced by the board, the Minister said the loss incurred every year as a result of natural calamities was heavy.
“The biggest loss was at the time of Cyclone Ockhi, but we could overcome the crisis with the dedicated work of the staff members,” he said. Eighteen KSEB officials who gave outstanding performance then would be given good service entry.
New power connections
The Minister said no load-shedding or power cuts were enforced on the consumers in the recent past. The government could give 8.5 lakh new power connections within a short time.
Addressing the gathering, Minister for Excise T.P. Ramakrishnan said the Kakkayam project would be a milestone for the KSEB in its efforts to attain self-sufficiency in power generation. Controversies over new projects would only hit the development of the State, he said.
KSEB officials said the project would make use of the tailwater released after generation of power from the 100-MW Kuttiyadi Additional Extension Scheme (hydro project).
Fifth project
The power generated by the new project will be exported to the State grid managed by the Regional Load Dispatch Centre which supplies power to the southern States. This was the fifth hydroelectric power project in the area by the KSEB including three big projects and two small projects, they said.
