Summer heat pushes up Kerala’s daily power consumption

Daily electricity consumption levels in Kerala are showing signs of picking up with the onset of summer and the consequent rise in temperatures.

As per Power department projections, the average daily consumption in March is likely to touch 103.5 million units (mu), and that of April and May, 111.7 mu and 96.4 mu respectively. The average daily consumption for the same months in 2025 had stood at 97.5 mu, 95 mu and 89.1 mu.

This year, daily consumption levels had crossed the 90 mu mark in February itself. The average daily consumption in February 2026 stood at 90.76 mu, according to data with the State load despatch centre. In January, this was 84.3 mu.

Kerala had recorded its highest daily consumption of 115.94 mu on May 3, 2024. The highest peak demand of 5,797 megawatts (MW) was recorded on May 2, 2024.

Reservoir storage

The combined storage in the reservoirs of hydroelectric projects stands at 55% of the capacity as on March 3. The levels are adequate to generate 2274 mu. Citing February 17 storage data, Electricity Minister K. Krishnankutty had informed the Kerala Assembly in the just-concluded Assembly session that the levels were sufficient to tide over the summer months.

Hopes on summer rains

The Power department and the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) are pinning their hopes on summer rainfall to keep soaring consumption in check. So far, parts of the State have received only light to scattered rainfall this summer.

As usual, Kerala will be banking on advance power purchase agreements and power ‘swap’ deals to meet the demand until the southwest monsoon sets in over Kerala in June. The KSEB had also launched measures in 2025 for power ‘banking’ agreements with utilities elsewhere in the country to ensure sufficient supply during the 2026 Kerala summer, according to the Power department.

In September last year, the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) had cleared a clutch of short-term power purchases for meeting the demand during April and May 2026. The decision had come on proposals filed by the KSEB for meeting the summer demand. These purchases are meant to meet the demand during the period from 6 p.m. to midnight and from midnight to 5 a.m. in April and May.

In addition to these purchases, the KSEB had been permitted to make a number of short-term purchases in the round-the-clock (RTC) category. The per-unit price ranges from ₹5.83 to ₹6 for RTC power and from ₹7 to ₹9.49 for the peak-hour purchases.