KSEB Moves to Hand Over Kanjikode Wind Farm to Private Sector

Palakkad: The Keralam State Electricity Board (KSEB) has invited expressions of interest to transfer its wind farm at the Kanjikode industrial area to the private sector. This was the first wind farm to be set up in the public sector in the state, comprising nine windmills with a generation capacity of 225 kW each. Citing high capital costs for modernising the 30-year-old turbines, the Board is now handing them over to private players under a 25-year contract. The government's plan is to accept tenders from the company that will modernise the windmills, generate power and sell it back to KSEB.

The Kanjikode wind farm was set up in 1995 near the KSEB substation at Alamaram in the Kanjikode industrial area. The turbines operate at wind speeds ranging from four to 30 metres per second. KSEB claims the modernisation is aimed at raising the generation capacity to between three and five MW. Under the arrangement, the company that takes up the contract will be required to supply the power generated, after modernising the windmills, to KSEB — with the company itself fixing the price, calculated in proportion to its investment, including capital expenditure.

This is one of three wind farms owned by KSEB in the state, with the other two located at Attappady and Ramakkalmedu in Idukki. The Palakkad Gap is known for consistently strong winds, making it well-suited for power generation. Instead of effectively utilising this public-sector asset to strengthen the state's power sector, the UDF government is, in effect, attempting to hand it over to the private sector. Several private companies have already set up windmills in the area to generate electricity.