Concern over increase in power use
P. Venugopal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Consumption of electricity touched a record level in Kerala on Wednesday, causing concern to the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), which had withdrawn all restrictions on power supply from the beginning of this month.

Overall electricity consumption on Wednesday came to 50.95 million units. The highest reached before the withdrawal of restrictions was 49.69 million units on April 29. The average daily consumption during the month of April, with the restrictions in force, was 46.96 million units.

The highest load demand during the evening hours on Wednesday was of the order of 2,852 MW, steeply up from the average peak load demand of around 2,700 MW in April. The highest load demand touched with the restrictions in force had been 2,799 MW reached on April 27.

The concern for the KSEB is whether, if the consumption were to remain at this level during the remaining days of the summer, it could manage the demand efficiently till the monsoon arrives to replenish the water storage in the reservoirs in the State.

When the restrictions were withdrawn, the calculation was that the KSEB could generate an average of 17 million units of electricity daily from its hydro stations and find the remaining quantum of power, required to fulfil the demand, from the Central generating stations and thermal power stations within the State.

Even after keeping all the thermal power stations in the State running full throttle and drawing as much energy as possible from the Central generating stations, the KSEB had to generate 20 million units from its hydro stations on Wednesday. At this rate, the storage in the reservoirs would not last till the middle of June.

The monsoon usually commences in the State by the beginning of June, but some reserve storage is always necessary to avoid a system failure.

The energy conservation campaign of the government earlier this summer had received much cooperation from the consumers. However, the withdrawal of all restrictions in power supply seems to have given out the impression that things are comfortable for the time being. The sweltering heat of the last few days and the IPL cricket matches now in progress in South Africa have played a significant role in boosting the overall consumption as well as the peak load demand in the State, according to top KSEB officials.