Monsoon season power crisis: Power curbs likely to continue in Kerala

Indications are that the after-6 p.m. power curbs in Kerala are likely to continue in view of the weak southwest monsoon and the increase in electricity demand felt nationwide.

Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph said that the State is currently facing a 500 MW to 600 MW deficit in availability. The Minister attributed the present crisis to a combination of factors, including a spike in demand during July, low storage in the reservoirs of the State’s hydroelectric projects on account of the weak monsoon and a nationwide spurt in electricity demand triggered by the El Nino-linked warm temperatures.

While the State’s Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government says the curbs are on a “limited scale,” complaints about multiple unscheduled loadsheddings lasting 15 minutes to one hour also have arisen.

Unavoidable circumstances had forced the State government to introduce power curbs on a “limited scale”, and attempts were being made to overcome the crisis, Mr. Joseph said. Kerala’s concerns about the power situation arise from the fact that it produces only about 30% of its electricity demand, and this internal generation is mostly hydropower, which is heavily dependent on the annual monsoon rains.

According to the State Power Department, the peak demand has risen from 3500 MW to 3600 MW in July 2025 to 4600-4800 MW this July. The combined storage in the hydel reservoirs managed by the State government undertaking Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) stands at 29% of the total capacity, or equivalent to 1192.20 million units (mu). During the same time last year, the storage was around 60%, according to the department. Storage in the reservoir of the 780 MW Idukki power project, Kerala’s largest, also stands at 29%.

Apart from an internal generation of 1600 MW, Kerala’s daily electricity demand is being met from Central Generating Stations (1700 MW), long-term contracts (650 MW) and short-term contracts (150 MW).

Following a review of the power situation on Wednesday (July 15, 2026), the Power Department has urged industrial and commercial consumers to introduce shift systems to regulate evening-hour electricity use. The department has also requested the general consumers to avoid decorative lighting and set air conditioners at 25 degrees Celsius or above, charge electric vehicles during the daytime when demand is low, and avoid the use of water pumps, water heaters, washing machines, induction cookers and iron boxes after 6 p.m.

Another factor that has exacerbated the situation for Kerala is that the monsoon months are a time when the State returns power availed under ‘swap’ arrangements with power utilities of other States to meet the summer demand. This return period will end only on September 15.

Meanwhile, the issue has also drawn criticism from the Opposition CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF). CPI(M) leader and former Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal said in a Facebook post on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) that Kerala is now being subjected to day-and-night “current cuts.”

“The people are now calling ‘Indira Cuts,” he said, in an apparent reference to the Congress’s poll-time ‘Indira Guarantees.’ Mr. Balagopal also went on to claim that the ten-year LDF rule in the State (from 2016 to 2026) was devoid of power cuts.

In reality, the curbs were first introduced by the KSEB on April 28 this year before the UDF government took over. Then, the KSEB had decided to impose load restriction between 6 p.m. and midnight in unavoidable circumstances to preserve grid stability. After the UDF government took over in May, the KSEB announced in June that restrictions were likely on a limited scale between 6 p.m. and midnight till June 30 on account of an acute power shortage felt nationwide.

As per the latest monsoon updates from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Kerala has reported 33% shortfall in the southwest monsoon rainfall between June 1 and July 16. Of the 14 districts, only Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram have reported normal rainfall.