Thiruvananthapuram | Keralam Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph on Monday said the state government was, as always, trying to procure power at the lowest possible rates and was in talks with NTPC in this regard.

Joseph also said that the government was taking legal measures to reestablish the long-term power purchase agreement that was entered into with private power companies during the last UDF rule and which was scrapped by the previous LDF administration.

In response to reporters' queries on the impact of purchasing power at higher rates, like Rs 30 per unit, the minister said it would pose an "additional financial burden" on the government.

On being asked whether the burden would be transferred to the consumers by way of cess in the future, he said that aspect has not been considered currently.

"Right now we are trying to purchase power by any means as many people are saying they want electricity even if the price is high. As the temperatures rise, the use of fans and air conditioners increases," he said.

He said that the Centre-run National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) was one of the main options being considered by the state for purchase of electricity.

The minister contended that it was a wrong decision to scrap the agreement under which around 440 mega watt power would have been available to the state for Rs 4.2 per unit and the present electricity crisis could have been avoided.

"If that much supply was available, the state would not have had to borrow electricity in the month of March-April and we would not have had to return that borrowed power currently," he claimed.

The then LDF government tried to rectify its mistake of scrapping the agreement, "but by then it was too late", he further claimed.

Joseph, a day ago, had said that the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has decided to approach the state government seeking permission to procure additional power at higher prices to meet the rising demand amid a power shortage in the state.

Keralam has been experiencing power outages, particularly at night, amid a sharp rise in consumption and difficulties for the KSEB in procuring additional electricity from other states.