Overview
- Kerala is running a 500–600 MW shortfall with hydropower reservoirs at about 28–29% of capacity, sharply cutting the state's domestic generation.
- The Kerala State Electricity Board petitioned the state regulator on July 17 to buy 200 MW on one-year short-term contracts at about ₹5.96 per unit to cover a persistent round‑the‑clock deficit.
- KSEB has arranged higher‑cost 24‑hour supply to guarantee power for the FIFA World Cup final on July 19–20 because suppliers would not sell only night‑time power.
- Unscheduled evening and night curbs are continuing, regulators have ordered one‑hour advance consumer notice, and opposition leaders have blamed the government for inadequate procurement.
- Officials say longer‑term fixes include battery storage for solar and the distant option of a Cheemeni nuclear plant, but those solutions need studies and public consultation and will not ease the immediate shortfall.