In Thrissur, a large crowd marched to the Kerala State Electricity Board Kundannur division office at Erumapetty on Tuesday midnight following extended outages. The protest continued into early Wednesday, with several demonstrators lying down inside and outside the office premises as a form of agitation. Despite officials informing the crowd that the disruption was caused by a fault in a major feeder line, the protesters refused to disperse.
Similar unrest was reported from Kozhikode, where Youth League workers staged a demonstration at the Panniyankara KSEB office during the early hours of Wednesday. At the Nadapuram substation, activists organised a candlelight protest, while in Malappuram, Youth Congress workers held a similar demonstration at the Pandikkad KSEB office late Tuesday night.
Amid escalating tensions, KSEB employees in several locations reportedly sought police protection due to the likelihood of intensified protests over the ongoing disruptions.
The wave of protests comes at a critical juncture, as KSEB has announced the possibility of imposing short-duration power curtailments of up to 30 minutes between 6 pm and midnight. The measure is aimed at maintaining grid stability amid a sharp surge in electricity demand driven by extreme heat conditions.
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Additional Chief Secretary (Power) Puneet Kumar, with the participation of KSEB Chairman and Managing Director Minhaj Alam and other senior officials. According to an official statement, the rapid increase in demand has placed significant strain on the transmission and distribution network, raising the risk of major disruptions if not managed proactively. The State Load Despatch Centre’s chief engineer has been authorised to implement temporary restrictions during peak evening hours, with the situation to be reviewed on a daily basis.
Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty stated that the current power crisis has been triggered by extreme heat and the increased use of induction cookers and air conditioners across the state. In response, the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission has permitted KSEB to procure an additional 250 megawatts of power daily until May 15 to meet the escalating demand.
Meanwhile, the Opposition United Democratic Front has criticised the ruling Left Democratic Front, highlighting the contrast between its earlier claim of a decade without power cuts and the current situation marked by frequent outages across the state.
The developments underscore growing pressure on Kerala’s power infrastructure as extreme weather conditions intensify demand, turning routine outages into flashpoints of public unrest and political confrontation.
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