As Kerala grapples with weeks of unyielding heat, power usage within the state has surged significantly. In response, the state government has issued a plea to residents, urging them to exercise restraint in their electricity consumption.
Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty said on Tuesday that power cuts are occurring more often at night in the state due to technical issues arising in the substations as a result of the increased consumption.
The rising temperatures in the state have coincided with increased power consumption, notably due to prolonged usage of air conditioners, according to the minister. This surge in electricity usage has led to overloading of substations, resulting in safety measures such as tripping of electricity supply.
“If people exercise some restraint and control in their power consumption by limiting the hours of AC use, etc., then overloads can be prevented. Yesterday, on April 29, the electricity consumption was 113.14 million units (MU). It ideally should have been less than 100,” the minister said.
The minister further said that with prudent usage, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) could avoid resorting to load shedding. This statement came in response to concerns raised by the public regarding prolonged power cuts late at night in certain areas, with dissatisfaction over the lack of responsiveness from KSEB officials regarding resolution timelines. An instance of such discontent was witnessed in Aluva, Ernakulam district, where locals staged a protest outside a KSEB office on Monday night, demanding immediate action following a power outage.