Public anger over load shedding; KSEB officials seek police protection

KOCHI: Amid growing public protests against load shedding in the state, officials of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) have sought police protection, citing concerns over their safety.

An assistant engineer from the Aluva West Electrical Section filed a complaint with the police. In a letter to the Aluva Circle Inspector, KSEB authorities requested security for staff and offices during night hours, as protests over power cuts have intensified. Employees said that frequent outages caused by technical issues are leading to angry residents visiting offices, using abusive language and even attempting physical assault.

Protests have been reported from several parts of the state following power disruptions. In Thrissur, locals staged a late-night protest at the Erumapetty KSEB division office after repeated power cuts on Monday. The protest, which began around 11 pm, continued until about 2:30 am. In Kozhikode, Youth League workers protested at the Panniyankara KSEB office around 2 am. There were also protests at the Nadapuram substation, where demonstrators lit candles as part of their protest.

Meanwhile, Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty has announced that there will not be load shedding in the state for the time being. He said the situation has improved due to the availability of 250 MW of power through the power exchange and the recent rainfall. He said the situation is likely to remain stable if the favourable weather continues, but warned that load shedding may be required if conditions turn unfavourable. The minister also said that recent power outages in some areas were caused by overloading, which led to tripping. He was speaking to the media after a meeting with members of the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission.