THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: N S Pillai, the outgoing CMD of Kerala State Electricity Board has said that he did not believe the sensitive hydel power projects such as Athirappally would ever take off in the state.
However, Pillai, who demits the office after leading board successfully during the turbulent times is of the opinion that hydel power projects are the most suitable and sustainable among power sources. "Compared to thermal power, which makes the major chunk of the power we currently use, hydel power is clean and carbon free. But big new power projects like Athirappally in the ecologically sensitive Kerala would be almost impossible to commission in the future'', Pillai said.
According to Pillai, an expert in finance and accounting, the board was able to ford through the challenging times, especially the consecutive floods and landslides, in 2018 and 19, without out any power tariff increase was on account of the unprecedented drive the board took up in replacing the faulty energy meters. ``When I took over as the CMD, at least 30 percent of the energy meters, cutting across demodectic, industry and commercial categories, were faulty. Now, the board has done away with that menace. We could plug the pillage and it did reflect in board's revenue. If it were not for the heavy natural calamities, KSEB would have been a profit-making utility by now'', Pillai told TOI in an interview.
Pillai said KSEB has emerged as one of the most competent power utilities in the country and it has been able to provide quality power at affordable rate. Unless the central government take an adamant stand against maintaining power utilities in public sector, the board can successfully compete with private power suppliers in the coming years. However, it would require the wholehearted cooperation of the board employees, he added.
The feasibility study of the second phase expansion of Idukki power project would be completed soon and the board must be able to float tender for the same by the end of 2021. ``The size and nature of the second phase expansion of Idukki generating station would be based on the ongoing feasibility study. The new powerhouse could take over the major share of power generation from the existing one set up 45 years ago in 1976, he said.
The outgoing CMD said he received a firm backing from the state government and was forced to come out with answers when the integrity and competency of the board was questioned by the political parties in the opposition. ``I never engaged in arguments with politicians. When allegations were levelled against the organisation and attempts were made to spread scandals against it, naturally I am responsible to place the facts before public. The allegations against KSEB during the 2018 flood were ruled out by the study of the central water commission. CIAL airport had to shut for 10 days owing to heavy downpour in 2019 even without KSEB discharging water from dams'', he said.
Pillai was selected to Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA & AS) while working in AG's Office here in 1995. He was first appointed as the director (finance) of KSEB in 2015 while serving as the AG of Chattisgarh and subsequently he was elevated as the CMD of KSEB in 2018.
