The dispute over Kerala’s power supply has intensified after Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan described the reported shortage as “artificial” and questioned the state government’s proposed power purchase arrangement with GNA Energy, alleging that it could increase the public burden by Rs 635 crore.
Vijayan, speaking to the media on Friday, challenged the United Democratic Front government’s claim that the state was facing an acute power crisis. He said weather conditions did not justify the shortage and questioned why the government had rejected the position of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).
He also questioned the role of GNA Energy, describing it as an over-the-counter platform connecting power buyers and sellers rather than a generating company. “Whose power will GNA Energy supply?” he asked, according to the report, while seeking the release of all files related to the proposed agreement.
Vijayan alleged that electricity offered through the arrangement would cost between Rs 8.6 and Rs 8.9 per unit, which he said was around Rs 3 higher than the market price. He claimed that power was available at about Rs 5 per unit and questioned why domestic generation was being reduced. He also referred to a purchase from Himachal Pradesh at Rs 12.5 per unit in October.
The Opposition leader further alleged that KSEB’s former chairman and managing director, MG Rajamanickam, was transferred because of his position on power procurement. He also claimed that Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph had favoured buying power from Himachal Pradesh. These claims were made by Vijayan and were not independently established in the supplied report.
Vijayan cited Sections 62 and 63 of the Electricity Act, arguing that electricity should be purchased either at rates approved by the electricity regulatory commission or through a competitive tender. He alleged that neither process was followed and that Section 108 was being invoked to bypass the commission. The report did not include the government’s response to these specific allegations.
He also alleged that GNA Energy was facing a Securities and Exchange Board of India investigation concerning an alleged leak of internal information from the Central Electricity Authority. The supplied report does not provide details of the alleged investigation or independently verify the claim. Vijayan rejected assertions that the previous Left Democratic Front government had purchased power from the company, saying it had only paid a service charge during power swapping.
The dispute puts the focus on how electricity shortages are assessed, how procurement decisions are approved and how the cost of emergency or contracted power is passed on to a state’s electricity system. Vijayan accused Chief Minister V D Satheesan of overriding the electricity minister and violating his oath, an allegation the report attributes to him.
Vijayan said the government had the right to spend public money but not to “loot it” and warned that the Opposition would launch a strong agitation. He called for the public release of all files connected with the GNA Energy proposal.
