Kerala has requested enhanced allocation from Central generating stations (CGS) for tackling the increase in electricity demand anticipated during the 2025 summer months.

Observing that peak demand during the summer months could touch 6,000 MW, the State Power department on Sunday urged Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who reviewed Kerala’s power sector projects here on Sunday, to allocate additional power at affordable rates.

The State also suggested a slew of measures for handling the summer demand, such as increasing the allocation from National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Ltd.’s Talcher II station from 180 megawatts (MW) to 400 MW. The State also wants the allocation from the NTPC Barh thermal power station to be enhanced to 400 MW and extended up to June 2025, observing that it will help stave off power shortages. Kerala’s current allocation from this plant is 177 MW till March 2025, according to the State Power department.

Further, it has also sought a 350 MW allocation from the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL).

In the past fiscal, the electricity demand had surpassed projections and the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) was expecting it to rise by 4% to 5% this year. Also, by 2029-30, the peak demand is expected to cross the 8,000 MW-mark, the State power utility noted in a presentation on Sunday.

40% VGF

The State government urged the Centre to announce 40% viability gap funding (VGF) for hydroelectric projects and pumped storage projects (PSP). The government also requested financial support for establishing battery energy storage systems (BESS) with capacity ranging between 3,000 MW and 5,000 MW for managing peak demand.

Kerala has recommended that the Centre declare the Raigarh-Pugalur-Thrissur high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission network as a national asset.