Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 23 (PTI) Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Wednesday said the government would work out a long-term power procurement plan to ensure adequate electricity supply from October 1 until the next monsoon amid a power shortage affecting several states.
Satheesan said a broad meeting would be held on Thursday to discuss measures to address the power crisis and decide on agreements for the coming months as well as longer-term requirements.
“We can enter into an agreement for six or eight months if necessary. If there is a need for a long-term agreement, we should enter into one,” he told a press conference after the weekly Cabinet meeting.
The CM said Keralam was facing three major issues—the absence of a long-term power purchase agreement, a sharp rise in consumption and reduced availability of power in the market.
He said Keralam had earlier been receiving 465 MW under a 25-year power purchase agreement, but the agreement was cancelled during the previous Left government’s tenure and no alternative long-term agreement was put in place.
“The cancellation of the 25-year agreement is a serious issue,” Satheesan said.
He said power consumption had increased by around 950 MW compared to September last year, and the rise in demand had not been anticipated or planned for in advance.
The CM said power availability had declined as several states were facing shortages.
“There is a power shortage in all parts of India, and Tamil Nadu, for instance, is facing severe power cuts,” he said.
Satheesan said the government was being cautious about purchasing power at high rates and was procuring electricity according to its actual requirements without imposing a major financial burden on the state.
Referring to an offer from Himachal Pradesh, he said Keralam had been offered 330 MW during the day and 80 MW at night at Rs 13 per unit. However, the state did not require the entire daytime supply.
“If we purchase power at Rs 13 even when we do not need it, then we would be paying for unnecessary power,” he said.
As an immediate measure, the state has arranged additional power to meet the present shortage.
Satheesan said 150 MW had been secured from the Nuclear Power Corporation at Rs 4.65 per unit, and another 150 MW was expected on Wednesday.
He said a 150-MW generating unit that had been shut down for maintenance was brought back into operation after the work was expedited.
“We now have an additional 650 MW of power. There is still a gap of around 1,000 MW. We can bridge part of that gap, and we can resolve the issue completely,” Satheesan said. PTI TGB SSK
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