Thiruvananthapuram: “We will have to impose power curbs in the State within 10-15 days in case there is no change in the weather. There is shortage of water in the reservoirs. The Electricity Board had made it clear,” said Power Minister M M Mani.
A day after the Electricity Regulatory Committee (ERC) recommended a tariff hike for domestic and industrial consumers by an overall 6.8 per cent, Kerala government is looking to impose power cuts within 10 days. The main reason for it is due to deficiency in rain during the southwest monsoon.
Speaking to reporters, Mani said government was trying to pool electricity from outside the State. Meanwhile, the ERC had asked the Electricity Board to collect the pending dues of around Rs 2,000 crore from various consumers, including the government departments.
On 4 July, Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) held a review meeting over decrease in water-level in dams but decided not to curb power till 15 July, by which time the monsoon is likely to strengthen.
According to a media report, the State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC) has revealed the Idukki Dam, which is one of the highest arch dams in Asia, has only 13 per cent of water to produce electricity. It is to be noted that Kerala produces 65 per cent of its power from the hydroelectric project in Idukki.