Karnataka govt mulls purchasing electricity from external sources

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 13 (ANI): Pointing out that electricity production in the state is on the decline, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Friday that a meeting will be held to discuss the possibility of purchasing electricity from external sources.

“Electricity production is on the decline, while the demand is on the rise. Last year, the state utilized 900 MW, but this year, the demand has surged to 1500-1600 MW. A meeting will be held to discuss the possibility of purchasing electricity from external sources. Electricity is still being supplied, and there hasn’t been complete load shedding. The possibility of providing electricity for seven hours in a three-phase system will be discussed during the meeting,” Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

In response to allegations by the BJP, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the government’s actions, stating that it is challenging to take all precautionary measures in the face of drought caused by insufficient rainfall.

He emphasized that electricity is still being supplied, and there hasn’t been complete load shedding. The possibility of providing electricity for seven hours in a three-phase system will be discussed during the meeting.

Meanwhile the state of Karnataka is also suffering from a sever water shortage that has further increased the need for electricity.

When the southwest monsoon season for 2023 ”officially” ended on September 30, the cumulative rainfall in the State from June 1 to September 30 was 642 mm against a normal of 852 mm with the deficiency being 25%.

According to the IMD, all the 31 districts received rainfall below the long period average leaving the State under a spell of drought.

Among the different regions, Malnad districts experienced 39% deficiency while there was 27% deficiency in south interior Karnataka regions. The coastal belt and north interior Karnataka have a cumulative deficiency of 19% in what is reckoned to be one of the weakest monsoons in recent years.

The 11 districts comprising South interior Karnataka had received 271 mm of rainfall against a normal of 369 mm and the worst affected among them include Ramanagara, Chitradurga, Davangere, Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, and Mandya, as per the rainfall figures updated by the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC).