Thiruvananthapuram: The heat has finally taken its toll. KSEB Limited, after spurning costly power for three months, has been forced to turn back to naphtha and diesel stations from March 1. Albeit, as a precauationary measure.
It was in November last year that KSEBL had brought an end to the off-take from stations like NTPC Kayamkulam, Brahmapuram and Kozhikode diesel power plants; a feat as commendable as an alcoholic abstaining from drinks as for over a decade KSEBL could not do without power from costly stations. But with temperatures soaring, KSEB had no choice. “Or else we would be forced to overwork our hydel stations, which could be risky if the southwest monsoon betrays,” a top KSEB source said.
For the three months between November and February, KSEBL had confidently gone ahead without costly power. During this period the state was so flush with power that even when daily consumption climbed to 63 million units, KSEBL had surrendered three to four million units back to the central generating stations from which the power was sourced. During 2014, when January consumption was below 55 MU, KSEBL was still purchasing power at high cost from private traders and also sourcing power from costly naphtha and diesel stations.
Suddenly, the searing heat has upset KSEBL's balance. On March 1, daily consumption soared to 70 million units, a record of sorts.
“There is nothing alarming here. We are not purchasing power at Rs 12 per unit from places like BSES or Kayamkulam NTPC,” a top source said. “We are evacuating just 0.33 million units from Kozhikode Diesel Power Plant at less than Rs 5 per unit,” the source added.
