State can survive on 60% of present power

THIRUVAANANTHAPURAM : Cut down on electricity consumption and Kerala can survive on 60 per cent of the present volume of power generation, Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed said on Wednesday. He was addressing the Kerala State Energy Conservation Awards-2011 distribution ceremony held here in connection with the National Energy Conservation Day observance. As much as 4,800 million watts can be saved if one bulb each is turned off in each of the 82 lakh houses in the state. This is equal to commissioning a 240-MW power project. Daily consumption in the state at present stands at 3,200 MW-3,300 MW. By 2020, this would double, the Minister said. However, new projects are facing stiff opposition on account of environmental concerns. Various projects, including the proposed coal-based power plant at Cheemeni, had to be dropped because of this, he said. KSEB chairman T M Manoharan said congested inter-state transmission lines and absence of new power projects were pushing the state into a deep power crisis. While other states were launching new generation projects based on Liquefied Natural Gas, coal and wind energy, Kerala was lagging, he said. The Electricity Minister gave away awards to HLL Life Care Ltd, Peroorkada; Dr P S Chandramohan Nair, Thiruvananthapuram; BSNL Telephone Exchange, Palarivattom; Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram; S Sreenivasan, BSES, Kochi; Government UP School, Puttumanoor; Christ College, Irinjalakuda and S Komalam, Thiruvananthapuram. Commendations also were given away on the occasion.