R P C O P I A T

Kerala, the southern State of India, is having a total area of about 38,863 km2. The climate is predominantly tropical with an average annual rainfall of about 2908 mm. The population of the State, according to the first provisional population totals of 2001 census is 31.84 million and the population density is 819 persons per km2. Compared to other States of India, Kerala could make significant achievements in areas of social development, health care and education. The literacy rate of Kerala is 87.86%, which is one of the highest among Indian States.

Kerala is also ahead of all other Indian States in many aspects of human development. However, it remains backward in various areas of infrastructure development. There is practically no land in Kerala to expand agriculture. Agriculture is therefore nearly stagnant. Industrial base of the State continues to remain very weak. For these reasons, unemployment figures of the State are astronomical. There are many reasons for the sluggish growth of industries in Kerala. Shortage of energy is not the least important of them. While the average per capita energy consumption of Kerala is one of the lowest in India, even the available energy is utilised mostly for non-productive use.

Kerala is relatively poor in energy sources. It does not have any known reserves of coal, oil or natural gas. Its source of heat energy is firewood and that of electricity is Hydroelectric. Its energy base is therefore very weak.

The electricity supply system is owned by a single Government owned utility organisation, viz, Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). Starting with a 5 MW hydro plant in 1940, Kerala power system has grown substantially to an installed capacity of 2472.63 MW presently. Out of this, 19 hydro stations account for 1825.50 MW (75%) of the capacity and balance from thermal plants and a small wind farm of 2.03 MW.

As far as power development is concerned, like most of the Indian States, Kerala is also in an uncomfortable situation. Resource constraints, numerous socio-economic issues and environmental considerations impede the development of power in the State.

Kerala was developing its hydro potential at a fairly reasonable rate up to the commissioning of Idukki. Since then, it has run into rough weather due to diverse reasons, environmental constraints being the most important of them. Major hydro projects added during the last two decades are Idamalayar (75 MW), Lower Periyar (180 MW), Kakkad (50 MW) and Kuttiyadi Extension (50 MW). Even as early as 1975, it was anticipated that, Kerala would face power and energy shortage from 1982 onwards, unless additional and alternative sources of energy were found. This has come true and continues to be so even today. The total exploitable potential of hydro energy taking into account environmental constraints and interstate disputes has been estimated between 10,000 MU and 15,000 MU. The unrestricted demand by the end of the Tenth Plan period will be in excess of 20,000 MU. The strategy would therefore be to develop the hydro resources to the maximum possible extent and to look for alternative sources. The most attractive option of alternative sources seems to be coal/natural gas based thermal power stations and nuclear power stations.

Sporadic efforts have been made in the recent past to tap non-conventional energy sources. However the progress in this direction has been far from satisfactory. Completed non-conventional energy projects include Kanjikode Wind Plant (2.03 MW) in Palakkad District and solar light projects for 130 tribal housing colonies and energy generation projects using night soil for few hospitals in the State. Considering the need to promote clean energy development, renewed and vigorous effort is required for tapping the non-conventional energy sources at a much faster rate.

The transmission and distribution system development in the State has not kept pace with the generation capacity additions from time to time. Therefore, there has been a mismatch between transmission & distribution and generation, the gap of which has been widening over the years. Any power development programme for future will therefore have to necessarily include steps to cover this back log in transmission and distribution besides providing for matching transmission and distribution programme for new generation capacity additions. Another important activity in the area of transmission and distribution is reduction of T & D losses and improvement in reliability and quality of supply through system improvement programmes.