Power self-sufficiency in 10 years : Balan

Pathanamthitta, Monday 02 Feb 2009: Kerala will be self-sufficient in electricity in the next 10 years and efforts are under way to achieve this in a time-bound manner, Power Minister A.K. Balan has said.

The Minister was inaugurating a State-level electricity adalat for redressal of consumer grievances organised by the Kerala State Electricity Board here on Sunday. Mr. Balan said the State had chalked out schemes to generate 4,000 MW in the next 10 years.

He said the power sector in India as a whole was facing a serious crisis. However, the State government could make certain effective interventions to reduce its intensity, he added. The Minister called for people’s cooperation to tide over the crisis by reducing power consumption. He stressed the need for popularising the use of compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) with a view to saving power. He said the government had decided to supply one CFL to each Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe family in the State.

Mr. Balan said 500 MW would be generated through various hydel power schemes, including small and mini projects, in the next two years. “This is besides the projects to generate 300 MW wind energy,” he said.

The Minister said the government would set up a 2,200 MW power plant in Kasaragod and 2,200 acres attached to Plantation Corporation Kerala Limited had been acquired for the purpose.