Kerala power crisis deepens as CM calls emergency meet amid opposition protests
Kerala CM VD Satheesan held an emergency meeting over the power crisis as demand rose, generation fell, and BJP and CPI(M) stepped up criticism and protests.
Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan on Friday convened an emergency meeting with senior officials to review the state’s ongoing power crisis and frequent electricity disruptions.
"Chaired an emergency review with the Chief Secretary Shri Bishwanath Sinha IAS and KSEB CMD Shri M G Rajamanickam IAS to address the current power crisis. Directives have been issued for immediate, high-priority actions to resolve the crisis," he said in an X post.
The meeting came amid growing criticism from opposition parties over the power situation. Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph said earlier that power demand had risen by more than 1,000 MW compared with the same period last year, while generation had declined.
Joseph said the Kerala State Electricity Board had faced difficulties in securing enough power through short-term purchases in the day-ahead and real-time markets. He added that long-term power purchase agreements could not be finalised immediately as they require tenders, regulatory approvals and several months to complete.
The minister also said power restrictions had to be imposed on multiple occasions and urged the opposition not to blame the government, pointing to shortcomings during its tenure that had contributed to the current situation.
The BJP accused the government of mismanagement and announced statewide protest marches to KSEB offices on Saturday and Sunday. It warned of larger agitations if the crisis was not resolved.
The CPI(M) also accused the UDF government of mishandling the power sector and said consumers were not being adequately informed about electricity disruptions. It called for branch-level protests across the state on September 12.
The Left party claimed Kerala had managed previous power crises, including those in 2017 and 2023, without imposing power cuts by using available resources and planning ahead.
The CPI(M) also alleged that the current crisis was being used to push the state towards privatisation of the power sector and urged the government to take practical measures to restore reliable electricity supply.