Thiruvananthapuram, April 25 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan on Saturday alleged that Kerala’s emerging power crisis and unannounced load shedding were the result of the state government scrapping long-term electricity purchase agreements, claiming corruption was the motive behind the decision.

He demanded the immediate withdrawal of power restrictions, warning of strong protests by the UDF if the situation continues.

Calling the outages amid intense heat a challenge to the people, Satheesan questioned the LDF’s claim of delivering ten years without power cuts under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He argued that a long-term deal secured during the tenure of Oommen Chandy to procure 465 MW at an average cost of Rs 4.29 per unit was arbitrarily cancelled.

This, he said, forced the State to buy power at Rs 6 — Rs 12 per unit, causing daily losses of Rs 15-20 crore to the Kerala State Electricity Board. He also alleged that the move benefited private companies and demanded a probe into the decision and the alleged financial gains.

Responding to the charges, Electricity Minister K. Krishnankutty denied that the State is witnessing unannounced load shedding. He maintained that only natural regulation is being carried out when the grid faces overload. Power consumption, he said, has crossed 6,195 MW, necessitating costlier power purchases.

The government is trying to avoid a tariff hike, he added, urging consumers to exercise restraint.

The Minister also dismissed criticism of the LDF’s no power cut claim, stating that the current electricity strain is part of a wider national trend.

In a pointed remark, he said the Opposition should ask nature about the situation, attributing the surge in demand during extreme heat, and expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved within two days.

Meanwhile, complaints of frequent short-duration outages, especially at night, are rising from across the state as consumption spikes. A high-level meeting convened by the Chief Minister is scheduled to review the situation as Kerala grapples with peak summer demand.

–IANS

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