The Hindu Business Line : KSEB frets over `weak' monsoon

Kochi June 12 Deficient rains so far during the current southwest monsoon season this year coupled with a reduction in the State's power share from the Central grid might lead to a grim situation, forcing the Kerala State Electricity Board to draw high-cost power from thermal plants to meet the demand.

The rains have been far below normal, especially in the catchment areas of the State's major hydel projects. As a result, the water available in the reservoirs as on Monday was around 10 per cent of their capacity, a senior official of the Board told Business Line.

With the available water, 415 million units could be generated covering the next 20 days. "If the monsoon fails to pick up and strengthen in the coming days, the situation would turn out to be uncomfortable", he pointed out.

Cut in share

Added to this, there has been a reduction in the State's daily share from the Central grid to 22.2 million units from the entitled 24 million units. This issue has already been taken up with the Central Power Ministry and its restoration to full share is expected, he said.

If normal rainfall were received during the remaining period of the monsoon season, the hydel projects would be able to generate the 10-year average of 6,800 million units. Given the present scenario, December onwards, the Board may have to draw from the thermal plants of BSES at Eloor or/and NTPC, Kayamkulam, at a higher cost.

To meet the peak hour demand, the diesel power generating plants of the Board at Brahmapuram and Kozhikode are operated.

The daily power demand has gone up to 43.2 million units and to meet it, 21.5 million units are generated by the hydroelectric projects at present.

During the past couple of years the KSEB could manage without drawing high cost power from the thermal plants because of good rainfall in both the southwest and northeast monsoons.

The power generated by the 360-MW NTPC Kayamkulam plant is currently shared equally by Tamil Nadu and Delhi. Tamil Nadu pays 100 per cent of the fixed cost to NTPC directly while Delhi pays 50 per cent of it to the KSEB.

If the peak demand crossed 2,700 MW in the coming months, the KSEB may have either to draw the high cost power from the two thermal plants or resort to power shedding/cuts, they added. It is unlikely that the government might prefer for a power shedding, they added.

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