The power crisis being faced by the State is not a problem unique to Keralam but part of a national crisis, Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph said here on Wednesday.Addressing the media here, he said electricity consumption had increased significantly this month due to the hot and humid conditions prevailing in the State, exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific. Electricity consumption on Tuesday reached 5,200 MW, resulting in a shortfall of around 900 MW.The average daily power demand in the State in September last year was 3,794 MW, compared with 5,200 MW on Tuesday. This has resulted in a shortfall of about 700 to 900 MW against the available supply capacity. At present, the State generates only 1,650 MW on its own. It receives 1,500 MW as its central share, 630 MW through long-term contracts, and 100 MW through short-term contracts, the Minister said.A system to inform the public about power outages in advance at the feeder level will come into effect from Thursday, he said. While it may not be possible to provide the exact time of an outage, steps are being taken to inform consumers about the approximate timing.The Minister also appealed to the public to cooperate in addressing the crisis, saying the government and the Kerala State Electricity Board were taking all possible steps to resolve the situation. The crisis could not be solved in one go and that a complete solution would also depend on the availability of rain, he said.The main reason for the present problems is the huge gap between the availability and consumption of electricity during the day and night. Although solar power was available during the day and fed into the grid, it is not possible to purchase sufficient electricity from outside at night. Even if the State is willing to pay ₹10 to ₹16 a unit, electricity is not available in the open market at night. By the time approval is obtained from the regulatory commission to purchase power at a higher price, offers received in the market are withdrawn within minutes, the Minister said.As part of efforts to secure advance contracts, the KSEB is negotiating with Kayamkulam NTPC, besides trying to increase electricity availability from its subsidiaries and implement floating solar projects.The Grid Controller of India has also stated in a letter that Keralam will face a power shortage of about 700 MW. The current electricity supply is being managed in accordance with the instructions and load adjustments of the Regional Load Dispatching Centre in Bengaluru to ensure grid security.Keralam also lags far behind neighbouring States in terms of generating its own electricity. While Andhra Pradesh generates 86% of its own requirements, Telangana generates 67%, Karnataka 60% and Tamil Nadu 50%. Keralam can generate only about 27% of its own requirements and relies on central agencies and other power plants for the remaining share.Meanwhile, the Minister revealed that a person who called the KSEB office was given his phone number by a KSEB employee, who told the caller that he could find out when power would be restored by contacting the Minister. The KSEB chairman had been asked to identify the employee, he said. Published - September 09, 2026 08:55 pm IST