Protests have broken out across Kerala against unannounced power outages, with frustrated consumers picketing local offices of KSEB in the early hours of the night.
In Thrissur district, a large crowd marched to the Kundanur division office of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) in Irumapetty on Tuesday midnight after a prolonged power outage.
The protest continued until early Wednesday as many participants lay down inside and outside the office headquarters to demand a solution.
Although officials told the demonstrators that the power outage was due to a defect in a main power line, they continued to protest.
Similar protests were reported from Kozhikode, where Youth League workers staged a demonstration at the Panniyankara KSEB office in the early hours of the night due to a power outage.
At Nadapuram substation, activists held a candlelight protest.
The KSEB office at Bandikad in Malappuram also witnessed a similar protest by Youth Congress activists last night.
In several places, KSEB employees reportedly requested police protection due to possible protests over power outages.
Protests are growing as the KSEB announced it may impose short power cuts of up to 30 minutes between 6pm and midnight to keep the grid stable amid rising demand due to extreme heat.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Additional Chief Secretary (Authority) Puneet Kumar, and attended by KSEB Chairman and Managing Director Minhaj Alam and other senior officials here on Tuesday.
According to a KSEB statement, the sharp rise in electricity demand has put significant pressure on the transmission and distribution network, increasing the risk of serious disruptions if not managed in a timely manner.
The chief engineer of the state load dispatch center has been authorized to impose short-duration restrictions during evening peak hours, if necessary, to ensure grid stability. The situation will be reviewed daily.
Power Minister Krishnankutty said the ongoing power crisis is caused by extreme heat and increased use of induction stoves and air conditioners.
The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission has allowed KSEB to procure 250 MW of additional power per day till May 15 to meet the increasing demand.
In light of the situation, the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) criticized the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) over its earlier claim of a decade without power outage, citing the recent power outage reported from various parts of the state.
