Kerala Minister Blames Shortfall From Other States For Night Cuts

01 Jul 2026 CW Team

Kerala is experiencing power cuts during night hours owing to a shortage of electricity supplied from other states, the state electricity minister said. He reported that electricity was available at around 45 paise per unit during the daytime but could not be procured at Rs 10 per unit at night. The minister noted that electricity borrowed from northern states during March and April had to be returned and that around 400 megawatt (MW) of power needed to be given back.

Power generation from Kerala's hydel projects has declined because reservoir storage is low. Reservoir storage was around 47 per cent during this period last year but was just 21 per cent this year, and rainfall has been below normal. Even so, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has been purchasing whatever power is available from other states to manage demand.

The minister explained that the state cannot purchase electricity beyond Rs 10 per unit because of regulatory and market constraints. He rejected suggestions that regulation was timed to coincide with telecasts of major sporting events, noting that unavailability at night rather than intentional restriction was the driver. Solar power could significantly supplement supply during the daytime, but large-scale battery storage systems for night-time use are not yet widely operational despite a few projects starting.

The minister appealed to the public to reduce electricity consumption voluntarily and said that more external purchases would be the only option if shortages worsen. He recalled that KSEB had entered a long-term agreement to procure 465 MW at Rs 4.69 per unit from a private company during the tenure of a former minister. The matter was stated to be pending before the Supreme Court and KSEB had engaged senior advocate Kapil Sibal to represent it, with a hearing likely next month.

Resources

23 Jul 2026

K2 Infragen appoints D K Raju to lead HAM projects

K2 Infragen has appointed D K Raju as Senior Vice President to lead its Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) project portfolio, strengthening the company's execution capabilities as it expands its infrastructure business.Raju brings more than 27 years of experience in infrastructure project execution, planning, quantity surveying, tendering and technical operations. He has previously held senior positions at HG Infra Engineering, Allone Infra and Techno Unique Infratech.In his new role, Raju will oversee execution of K2 Infragen's Rs 3.91 billion Telangana road project under the Hybrid Annuity Model, in..

AI Data Centre Leaders Map India’s Infrastructure Roadmap

Mumbai, 22 July 2026: As artificial intelligence reshapes global digital infrastructure, industry leaders gathered in Mumbai today at the AI-Powered Data Centre Conference 2026 to discuss how India can build the capacity, technology and ecosystem required to emerge as a global AI infrastructure hub. Organised by ASAPP Info Global Group and conceptualised by FIRST Construction Council, the conference revolved around the theme, “From Capacity Gap to AI Superpower: Building India's Digital Backbone for the Intelligence Economy.” Bringing together developers, technology providers, enterpr..

SPML Infra raises over Rs 1.9 billion through preferential issue

SPML Infra has raised more than Rs 1.9 billion through a preferential issue of equity shares and convertible warrants, aimed at strengthening its balance sheet, funding growth and converting debt into equity.The company's board approved the allotment of 693,999 equity shares and 9.54 million convertible warrants at Rs 186 per security. The warrants are convertible into equity shares within 18 months in accordance with SEBI regulations.As part of the transaction, National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARCL) converted an existing loan of Rs 71.6 million into 384,858 equity shares. SPML said the..