Thiruvananthapuram: KSEB has sought Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (KSERC) approval to procure power worth Rs 336.246 crore through the Union ministry of power’s DEEP (discovery of efficient electricity price) e-bidding portal from Oct 2026 to Apr 2027. KSEB said deficient rainfall during southwest monsoon had resulted in poor inflows into major hydropower reservoirs, limiting the availability of hydroelectricity. At the same time, high temperatures had triggered a sharp rise in power demand, particularly during peak hours, widening the supply-demand gap.The board said its revised assessment indicated a power deficit of 1,200-1,500MW during March and April 2027. It therefore decided to procure power from various sources, including battery energy storage systems, thermal and pumped-storage projects. The procurement proposal covers early-morning and evening peak-hour blocks. Power has been tied up from companies including PTC India Ltd, Jindal Power Ltd, Tata Power Trading Company Ltd and Manikaran Power Ltd. The rates range from Rs 6.99/unit to Rs 13.89/unit, depending on the month and time block.The highest requirement is for 500 MW each during the midnight to 5am block in Oct 2026, Jan 2027 and Feb 2027 and 700 MW during the same block in Mar 2027. For April 2027, KSEB has proposed procurement of 550MW during the early-morning block and 600MW during the 6.30pm to 12 midnight slot.The board’s full-time directors had approved the procurement proposal at a meeting held on Sept 25. KSEB has now filed the petition under Regulation 78 of KSERC (Terms and Conditions for Determination of Tariff) Regulations, 2021, seeking the regulator’s approval.
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