T’puram: The state govt is purchasing power from all available sources to address the current shortage while coordinating efforts to secure additional supplies, said CM V D Satheesan on Wednesday. Govt has already purchased 150MW from Odisha and another 150MW from Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCI). We have contacted eight states as part of efforts to secure additional power. Short- and long-term steps are being planned to address the crisis, he said.Satheesan attributed the present crisis to inadequate rain, increased consumption, limitations in the state’s own generation capacity and high demand during night-time peak hours.Keralam generates around 2,500MW of renewable/solar power, but the absence of adequate storage facilities means much of this can be used only during the day. The power generated during the day is supplied to KSEB, which substitutes other sources of power during peak hours, he said.Power consumption in Sept increased by 925MW compared to the same period last year due to several factors. There was no planning last year and there was no long-term power purchase, he said, adding that the problem could develop into a long-term crisis if it is not handled carefully.Satheesan reiterated that the LDF govt has cancelled a 25-year pact under which power was available at Rs 4.29/unit without putting an alternative agreement in place. UDF govt is considering long-term agreements and negotiations are under way, he added.Satheesan said govt has approached NPCI that allocates 85% of its power to states, while it retains the rest for its use. NPCI has 280MW, of which Keralam has negotiated a purchase of 150MW at Rs 4.65/unit. A team from Keralam will hold discussions with NPCI on Wednesday to explore the possibility of securing power, he said.The CM rejected reports that govt was purchasing power at Rs 30/unit. He said govt held discussions with HP govt that had offered 130MW during the day and 80MW at night at Rs 13/unit. “If we have to purchase power during the day to get 80MW at night, the effective cost would come close to Rs 30/unit. Govt will take a decision after examining the feasibility of such an arrangement,” he said.The state held discussions with NTPC, NPCI, HP, Rajasthan and Karnataka to source power. “TN had inked an agreement to purchase power at Rs 38/unit. KSERC has prescribed a ceiling that limits purchases below Rs 10/unit and govt is trying to procure power within that limit,” he said.Govt is preparing for a higher demand from Oct 1 till next year’s monsoon, with the El Nino phenomenon expected to bring in higher temperatures and fuel greater power consumption. A separate long-term plan is being prepared for this period, he said.Govt will examine pumped-storage projects as they do not involve major environmental problems and as there is less scope for adding conventional hydel projects. Proposals for investment in renewable energy are being examined by different departments, he said.The CM cited Karnataka’s addition of around 5,000MW of capacity over the past two-three years as an example and said the state had not made comparable additions or developed adequate storage capacity. Satheesan invited private entrepreneurs to invest in the renewable energy sector. He refuted a claim on social media that govt was planning to privatise KSEB.
