Amid power crisis, Kerala govt directs KSEB to take control of Maniyar hydro project

The Kerala government has finally directed the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to take control of the Maniyar small hydroelectric project (SHEP) in Pathanamthitta district from Carborundum Universal Ltd. The decision comes at a time when Kerala is battling a power crisis.

The 12-MW captive power plant (CPP) was at the centre of a political controversy early last year after the State government hesitated to allow the KSEB to take over the project after the 30-year agreement period ended in December 2024. While Carborundum had sought a 25-year extension of the contract, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition had opposed it claiming it would set a bad precedence. At the time, however, the LDF government appeared to be in favour of the extension, as the Industries department was placing stress on ease-of-doing business and attracting new investments to the State.