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Krishnankutty said there was no justification for the present crisis when compared with the situation in 2023. KSEB’s reservoirs currently have enough water to generate around 2,631 million units (MU) of electricity, against only 1,632 MU during the same period in 2023, according to him. Palakkad : Former electricity minister K Krishnankutty alleged that Keralam’s power sector is facing a serious lapse due to a lack of coordination between the KSEB management, the power minister’s office and the regulatory commission.
Speaking to a news channel, he said the current power crisis could have been avoided through better planning and timely intervention. Despite the lower storage then, the state managed to overcome the crisis through proper planning, he said. During his tenure as minister, high-level meetings were held every week to review the situation and take corrective measures, Krishnankutty said.
The chief minister had recently said Keralam’s power demand crossed 4,850 MW. Krishnankutty pointed out that the state had earlier managed demand of up to 5,800 MW without a similar crisis. Keralam’s own power generation accounts for only 20% to 35% of its requirement, with the rest sourced through long-term contracts and the power market, he said.
He also criticised govt for imposing power restrictions without adequate warning. Krishnankutty also took a dig at KSEB, saying its websites still display the former minister’s phone number, prompting people to call him, even at night, with complaints about power cuts.