Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph denied any rift with Chief Minister V D Satheesan regarding a rejected power deal with GNA.
Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph said on Friday in Kannur that there are no disagreements between him and Chief Minister V D Satheesan regarding power procurement. According to reports from Hindustan Times, The Hindu and Mathrubhumi, Joseph clarified that the state government has not signed any deal with the private platform GNA and has no current intention to proceed with such an arrangement.
The minister explained that the government reviewed the GNA proposal and found it to be impracticable due to operational hurdles. While the offered rates seemed lower than other sources, the deal required power procurement during both day and night. Joseph stated that the Chief Minister was informed of these practical difficulties and that the matter has been resolved through discussion.
Joseph dismissed claims that the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) had exaggerated potential shortages to promote the GNA deal. He maintained that the board was simply highlighting the state's growing electricity needs. He noted that while rainfall and the Deepavali holidays have temporarily eased demand, the state must plan for future requirements, particularly for the summer months.
To address supply, the state recently secured 540 MW of electricity from NTPC following discussions in New Delhi involving the Chief Minister and the company's chairman. Joseph said this allocation, split into two 270 MW portions, would provide electricity at a lower price. The state is also looking into purchasing power from the Sinnar Thermal Power plant in Maharashtra.
