KSEB has sought regulatory approval to procure electricity worth ₹336.246 crore for Kerala between October 2026 and April 2027, warning that weak hydropower generation and rising demand could leave the state with a power deficit of 1,200–1,500MW during March and April next year.
The Kerala State Electricity Board has filed a petition before the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) seeking approval to purchase power through the Union ministry of power’s Discovery of Efficient Electricity Price (DEEP) e-bidding portal. The procurement proposal covers early-morning, evening and other peak-hour supply blocks.
KSEB attributed the expected shortfall to deficient rainfall during the southwest monsoon, which reduced inflows into major hydropower reservoirs. It also said high temperatures had driven up electricity demand, particularly during peak hours, widening the gap between available supply and requirement.
The board’s revised assessment projects a deficit of 1,200–1,500MW in March and April 2027. To meet the anticipated requirement, KSEB has proposed purchasing power from multiple sources, including battery energy storage systems, thermal power projects and pumped-storage projects.
Power has already been tied up from PTC India Ltd, Jindal Power Ltd, Tata Power Trading Company Ltd and Manikaran Power Ltd, according to the proposal. The rates range from ₹6.99 per unit to ₹13.89 per unit, depending on the month and the time block in which the electricity is supplied.
The largest proposed requirement is for 500MW in the midnight-to-5am block during October 2026, January 2027 and February 2027. For March 2027, KSEB has proposed 700MW in the same time block. In April, the board has proposed procuring 550MW for the early-morning period and 600MW for the 6.30pm-to-midnight slot.
The procurement plan was approved by KSEB’s full-time directors at a meeting held on September 25. The board has filed the petition under Regulation 78 of the KSERC (Terms and Conditions for Determination of Tariff) Regulations, 2021. The proposed purchases will require the regulator’s approval before the procurement can proceed under the plan submitted by KSEB.
