As Keralam scrambles to secure power purchase deals to meet future electricity demand, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has received permission to procure 177 MW from NTPC Ltd for a three-year period.
Under the procurement conditions approved by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission, KSEB will receive 80 MW from Barh Stage-I and 97 MW from Barh Stage-II stations of NTPC Ltd for a period of three years from May 1, 2026, to April 30, 2029.
The Commission have its approval through an October 8 order.
The coal-based Barh Super Thermal Power Station (Barh STPS) is located in Bihar. The average tariff of electricity generated at Barh -1 station for 2025-26 was â‚ą5.60 per unit, while that of Barh-II was â‚ą4.67 per unit.
Medium-term agreement
Keralam had already received electricity from the two stations during the October 2024-March 2025 period. It was later extended up to April 2025. But those arrangements had been for the short-term, whereas the utility is now looking at a medium-term agreement.
The KSEB informed that Keralam is facing “severe power shortages” during peak hours and night off-peak hours due to the failure of the southwest monsoon, increase in demand and other factors. The medium-term procurement “is essential for meeting the electricity requirement of the State, and is in the larger public interest,” it said.
Published – October 08, 2026 05:25 pm IST
