Summer rain pushes down power demand

KSEB relieved as daily use did not cross 80 mu in the past week

The plentiful summer rainfall has helped Kerala restrict electricity usage to manageable levels so far in April, much to the relief of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). Daily usage did not cross 80 million units (mu) even once in the past one week, but the picture may change when the rain subsides, leading to a rise in temperature and humidity, KSEB officials warned. “Summer rains have helped reduce the demand considerably in April. Our projections indicated that daily consumption levels would have averaged 80-90 mu if the temperatures had soared. Once the rain stops, consumption will pick up,” KSEB chairman and managing director N.S. Pillai said. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts, rainfall is expected to continue on a ‘light to moderate’ note in most districts till at least Friday.