The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is scrambling to secure additional power supply for April and May, given the sharp jump in electricity use in the State during the 2024 summer.
The State-run power utility, which has already appealed to consumers to keep electricity use down in the evening hours, has floated an e-tender for procuring 500 megawatts (MW) to meet the anticipated additional demand from April 15 to May 31. The short-term procurement through the DEEP (Discovery of Efficient Electricity Price) portal is for meeting the additional requirement expected from 6 p.m. to midnight and from midnight to 2 a.m.
Due to the widespread use of air conditioners to stave off the summer heat, peak electricity demand hours now extend beyond 11 p.m. in the State, according to KSEB officials. Projections for April and May show that the State is likely to face a shortage of up to 800 MW during the evening hours.
