KSEB Imposes Evening Power Restrictions After Monsoon Shortfall
POWER & RENEWABLE ENERGY

KSEB Imposes Evening Power Restrictions After Monsoon Shortfall

Keralites will face evening power restrictions for at least the next 15 days as the state confronts an unprecedented power crisis. A review meeting chaired by Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph resolved to impose restrictions from six pm to 12 midnight from June 17 to 30. The decision followed assessments that scheduled supplies and local generation would be insufficient to meet sustained demand.

The crisis stems from concern over a possible monsoon failure linked to El Niño, falling water storage in Kerala State Electricity Board reservoirs and obligations under a SWAP agreement. Storage is down to 21 per cent and the state faces a 14 per cent rainfall deficit, and meteorologists warned that El Niño conditions may strengthen in July and August and may suppress the moisture-laden winds that bring rain. Officials said continued dry weather could leave dams depleted.

The board had procured power from north Indian states under the SWAP agreement during March to May and must return supply from June 16 to September 30. Power demand surged to 118.26 million (mn) units on April 27 while peak hour demand crossed 6,000 megawatt (MW) in the third week of April, and the plan had been to use higher hydel output during the monsoon. KSEB figures show 596 mn units were procured through SWAP and 609.72 mn units must be returned from June 16.

Maximum power available is 4,013 MW, comprising 1,700 MW internal generation, 1,701 MW from the central grid and 612 MW through long term agreements, leaving a shortfall of 900 MW from June 16 to 30. Availability from the power exchange has fallen to five per cent, prompting the board to impose peak hour restrictions to manage supply. The review instructed the chairman to explore additional purchases from the Real Time Market and Day Ahead Market and authorised restrictions if extra power cannot be secured until monsoon rains improve.

Keralites will face evening power restrictions for at least the next 15 days as the state confronts an unprecedented power crisis. A review meeting chaired by Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph resolved to impose restrictions from six pm to 12 midnight from June 17 to 30. The decision followed assessments that scheduled supplies and local generation would be insufficient to meet sustained demand. The crisis stems from concern over a possible monsoon failure linked to El Niño, falling water storage in Kerala State Electricity Board reservoirs and obligations under a SWAP agreement. Storage is down to 21 per cent and the state faces a 14 per cent rainfall deficit, and meteorologists warned that El Niño conditions may strengthen in July and August and may suppress the moisture-laden winds that bring rain. Officials said continued dry weather could leave dams depleted. The board had procured power from north Indian states under the SWAP agreement during March to May and must return supply from June 16 to September 30. Power demand surged to 118.26 million (mn) units on April 27 while peak hour demand crossed 6,000 megawatt (MW) in the third week of April, and the plan had been to use higher hydel output during the monsoon. KSEB figures show 596 mn units were procured through SWAP and 609.72 mn units must be returned from June 16. Maximum power available is 4,013 MW, comprising 1,700 MW internal generation, 1,701 MW from the central grid and 612 MW through long term agreements, leaving a shortfall of 900 MW from June 16 to 30. Availability from the power exchange has fallen to five per cent, prompting the board to impose peak hour restrictions to manage supply. The review instructed the chairman to explore additional purchases from the Real Time Market and Day Ahead Market and authorised restrictions if extra power cannot be secured until monsoon rains improve.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Resources

Schindler named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026

Schindler has been named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026, a global ranking recognising companies for their workplace environments.Compiled by Forbes in partnership with Statista, the ranking is based on independent employee feedback, including whether employees would recommend their organisation to friends and family.The company said the recognition reflected its focus on creating a workplace where employees can develop their expertise and build careers. ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India needs an export-execution mindset: Vishesh Jain

Interview with Vishesh Jain, Founder & CEO, EximpleWhat gaps in India’s global trade ecosystem led you to build Eximple, and what problem did you see businesses struggling with most?Eximple came out of a problem that all three founders had seen from different choke points in the trade ecosystem. India has millions of MSMEs and manufacturers, and many of them can make products that are genuinely competitive on quality. Yet only a small fraction is able to build meaningful international businesses. In our experience, the gap is usually not manufacturing capability; it is the ability to exe..

Next Story
Building Material

Nuvoco reports 13.5% revenue growth in Q2 FY27

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. reported consolidated revenue of Rs 27.9 billion for Q2 FY27, up 13.5% year on year. Cement sales volume rose 9% to 4.7 million tonnes (MMT), while EBITDA increased 11% to Rs 4.11 billion.The company said it began its cement operations in 2014 with a 2.3 MMT per annum (MMTPA) operation at Nimbol. It now aims to reach 35 MMTPA of cement capacity by FY28, nearly 15 times its initial capacity. Its portfolio spans cement, ready-mix concrete and modern building materials.On sustainability and cost efficiency, Nuvoco partnered with CleanMax for a 46.4 MW wind-solar hybrid re..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code