Published Sep 11, 2026 | 8:04 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 11, 2026 | 8:08 PM
The minister was speaking on the power crisis in the state when the outage happened.
Synopsis: Kerala’s power crisis took an ironic turn when Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph’s speech on frequent outages was itself cut short by a power failure. As demand surges and generation falls, the government faces mounting pressure to restore uninterrupted supply, while the CPI(M) has announced protests and accused the UDF government of mishandling the crisis.
Amid widespread criticism against the UDF government in Keralam over frequent power outages, especially at night, Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph on Friday, September 11, said that the state is facing severe power shortage and that there was no quick fix to the problem.
Interestingly, the minister’s own speech at a Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) event was cut short due to a power outage on Friday.
According to the minister, the demand has risen by over 1,000 MW compared to that during the same period last year, while domestic generation has declined.
He said increased use of air conditioners, fans and electric vehicles has contributed to the consumption surge, with EV charging also shifting peak demand to late night.
He also noted that Keralam currently meets only around 25% of its electricity needs through its own generation and lacks adequate storage capacity to use surplus solar power at night.
Joseph said KSEB was exploring all available options to procure power, but noted that shortages in the day-ahead and real-time markets and delays in finalising long-term power purchase agreements have made the situation difficult.
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Minister Sunny Joseph was addressing the inaugural session of the 18th State Conference of the KSEB Officers’ Federation at Kochi when the lights went out, forcing him to end his speech abruptly.
The minister was speaking on the power crisis in the state when the outage happened.
Moments before the outage, Joseph had recalled senior Congress leader A K Antony’s warning to him that taking charge of the Electricity Department was like carrying a “crown of thorns.”
Joseph said he was working to turn the “crown of thorns” into a “crown of flowers” before the power outage disrupted his speech.
Speaking to the media later in the day, Joseph responded to questions about the incident on a lighter note and said, “KSEB knows exactly when I should stop speaking, and that is why they cut it off.”
Chief Minister V.D Satheesan on Friday chaired an emergency review meeting with Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha IAS and KSEB CMD M.G. Rajamanickam IAS to assess the prevailing crisis.
The CM directed the KSEB to take immediate and high-priority measures to address the situation and ensure uninterrupted power supply.
The meeting reviewed the steps required to resolve the crisis on an urgent basis. Satheesan said all necessary measures would be taken on a priority basis to ease the difficulties faced by the public.
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Sunny Joseph blamed the previous LDF government for cancelling a 25-year agreement to procure 465 MW at a concession rate of Rs 4.29 per unit.
“Power that we once secured for ₹4.29 cannot be obtained even for ₹10 today. The burden of their sin is now being carried on the heads of the people,” Joseph alleged.
He also noted that the state is still repaying 530 MW of power borrowed during the March-April period and it would continue till September 30.
Meanwhile, the power crisis has emerged as a major political weapon for the CPI(M), with the party announcing branch-level protests on 12 September against the power cuts.
In a statement, the CPIM claimed Keralam had remained largely free of power cuts during the 10 years of LDF rule despite national-level power crises in 2017 and 2023.
It said the LDF government had tackled coal shortages, poor rainfall, reduced hydel generation and rising consumption through planning and alternative power purchases.
The CPI(M) rejected allegations that the present crisis was caused by the LDF government’s failure to pursue a 765-MW power purchase agreement signed in 2015.
It said the contract was cancelled by the Electricity Regulatory Commission over procedural issues and that the LDF government had subsequently taken steps to revive it.
The matter is now pending before the Supreme Court, it said.
The party also alleged that attempts were being made to use the crisis to push privatisation of the power sector.
(Edited by Fayisa CA)
