EEFI demands probe into Kerala electricity purchase and smart meter delay
The Electricity Employees’ Federation of India alleges the state government is ignoring KSEB advice to purchase power through a private platform.
The Electricity Employees’ Federation of India (EEFI) has called for an independent investigation into the UDF government's decision to buy electricity through a private trading platform. According to The Hindu, the federation also raised concerns regarding the delay in issuing work orders for the second phase of smart electricity meter roll-outs in Kerala.
EEFI national president and senior CPI(M) leader Elamaram Kareem alleged that the state government is pushing to buy 500 MW of electricity from the GNA Energy OTC platform at ₹8.63 per unit. Kareem claimed this move ignores objections from the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and will not meet the state's peak-hour electricity needs.
Kareem stated that the KSEB had calculated an additional financial liability of ₹727 crore due to this plan. He alleged that while Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph supported the KSEB position, he was overruled by the government.
The federation leader also claimed that IAS officer M.G. Rajamanickam was transferred from his role as KSEB chairman and managing director on Monday because he did not follow the government's direction. He suggested the transfer was a result of his stance on these issues.
Regarding smart meters, Kareem noted that the KSEB cleared the lowest bid for Phase II, which covers 50 lakh consumers, months ago. He expressed concern that the bid's validity expires on November 11 and suggested there is a move to undermine the CAPEX model used for these services.
The EEFI stated that both matters affect public funds and public interest, necessitating a transparent probe to reveal the facts.