In June 2022, the then Power Minister declared that India had become a power surplus country. He boasted that the average supply in rural areas has increased from 12.5 hours in 2014 to 20.5 hours, while it stands at 23.7 hours in urban areas. The energy shortage was miniscule at 0.2% and that the country possessed the world’s largest unified power grids with nearly 2 lakh circuit kms of transmission lines operating at same frequency, allowing power to be seamlessly wheeled across the country.
More recently, in 2025 a proactive advisory by Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) was made to future-proof Kodagu’s power infrastructure. With increasing urbanization, tourism, and agricultural activity in the region, a robust and modern electricity system was considered essential to support economic growth and development. Once completed, the ₹226 crore project was expected to significantly improve power quality and customer satisfaction. It was to play a vital role in ensuring a stable and resilient electricity network, benefiting thousands of consumers across the district and contributing to Karnataka’s broader energy goals.
However, the reality today is that there are frequent power breakdowns in Kodagu – not occasional inconveniences. They have become a frustrating part of daily life. Every spell of rain, every gust of wind, sometimes even a normal evening is enough to plunge entire towns and villages into darkness for hours.
Kodagu, a district that contributes immensely through coffee, tourism, agriculture and environmental conservation continues to suffer from unreliable infrastructure, exemplified by poor electricity supply. Elderly citizens struggle through dark nights. Planters depending on electric pumps and machinery face repeated disruptions. In many rural areas mobile networks collapse the moment power fails, cutting people off completely during emergencies.
What makes the situation more painful is that people of Kodagu have almost stopped expecting improvement. Power cuts are announced casually as “maintenance”, while unexpected breakdowns have become routine. During monsoons, residents mentally prepare themselves not for rain, but for darkness.
Yes, Kodagu is a difficult terrain with dense forests, heavy rainfall and vulnerable electric lines. Kodagu’s terrain is unique. Heavy rains, landslides, falling trees and dense forests make the district vulnerable to frequent disruptions. Therefore temporary patchwork solutions will never work here. What Kodagu needs is a resilient and modern power system designed specifically for its geography and climate. But should citizens continue suffering year after year without permanent solutions? If authorities know the challenges, why are more appropriate underground cables, modern infrastructure and faster emergency response systems still not adequately implemented?
Now, the announcement of ₹ 226 crore being allocated for strengthening the district’s power infrastructure in July 2025 has brought a ray of hope. Leaders have assured the public that quality work will be prioritized and that the long pending demands of the district are finally being addressed. The promise sounds reassuring. But the people of Kodagu are no longer asking for promise, they are asking for accountability and results.
This district is not just another region on the map. Kodagu is a land of plantations, tourism, forests, small business and hardworking families whose lives depend heavily on uninterrupted electricity. A single power breakdown can affect coffee curing units, homestays, Hospitals, schools, internet connectivity and water supply systems. In remote villages repeated outages have become so common that people have silently accepted inconvenience as routine. The sanction of funds is welcome. Credit must be given when action has been taken. But true appreciation will come only when students can study during storms without candles, when elderly citizens no longer fear nights without electricity, when the district finally experiences stable power supply throughout the year.
The issue now is simple. Will this project truly transform Kodagu’s electricity network, or will it become another announcement forgotten after sensational headlines fade? The District Administration and the dynamic political representatives can play an important role, if they wish to and provide a periodic update on progress.
There are so many senior officers from the Armed Forces in Coorg. Surely their voices can and will be heard by the Administration when making legitimate demands for basic essential services.
We are forced to “listen” to so many self-styled leaders talking about Heritage, Culture, Kodavaame, Language and such things – why is it that there is a reluctance to ask for basic amenities from those responsible in running public utilities, government departments and of course the omni-present political leaders laying foundation stones, or launching new projects (when there is no update on old ones!).
It is a reflection of the times we live in – momentary attention to issues and no consistency in following up to get things done. All of this just suggests that we deserve what we get.
As always, a good article from Mamatha. She puts into words effortlessly all the problems we sustain silently in Kodagu as a farming community…
Thank you for your unbiased writings and content, creating awareness on what should be done with basic necessities like power in the distict in the advent of monsoon.
The household without generators would be a big handicap nowadays in Kodagu as the normal inverters are not sufficient to keep the household going.
Our PM advices us to go for electric vehicles.. but how can an EV get charged in such conditions where power breakdowns have become the norm? After all, back-up solar systems also doesn’t work in monsoon?
Staying on infrastructure, we live in hilly regions and the road from Karada till Kakkabe are pot-hole ridden. Many requests on behalf of devotees going to Igguthappa temple have fallen on the deaf ears of the authorities. They find it very convenient an excuse as roads cannot be repaired once the rain sets in June.
Households witness fall in voltage due to transformer and sub-station load as the number of homestays and big resorts have come up in the hills and power transmission lines are not properly upgraded. Many Distribution equipment and transformers are 20+ years old without upgrade, which needs replacement.
The District authorities every year spend a lot of money on the electric poles, as the trees fall on power lines – when is Kodagu going to get underground cables? This is a recurring theme, year after year. Endless ongoing troubles leaving us in Darkness.
This is not just an article about electricity. It shines a light on the silent struggles of ordinary people in kodagu. Powerful, honest and deeply relatable. The Author has voiced what thousands of people silently endure everyday.
What makes this piece impactful is that it does not merely complain, it questions accountability where people are forced to live with uncertainty.
Thank you Ms Mamatha Subbaiah for this power FULL article covering the power LESS crisis in Kodagu.
Electricity usage upto 200 units is supposedly free in Karnataka – this is an anomaly, especially when there are significant power outages. The alternate of using a generator and UPS is not only more expensive and moreover not advisable when there is a thunderstorm..
The only real solution is accountability and a responsible work schedule. Talking to individual engineers and linemen is actually quite a good experience. Somehow the overall outcome is very poor due to inadequate infrastructure and lackadaisical performance at the field level.
There has to be a proper Work Plan for an outlay of Rs 226 crore. Transparency and good execution is the need of the hour. Project dashboard with a periodic progress report by CESC has to be shared with the public.
The PM has made certain laudable announcements:
– Revival of Work From Home
– Online education
All this requires reliable power supply. If neighbouring TN can have it even in hilly terrain like Ooty, why can’t we?
Unless the entire community stands up and demands with one voice for performance – there will be NO CHANGE. Kodagu’s infrastructure is very poor – roads, power, water management, healthcare…all critical if tourism has to become attractive in a responsible manner. Perhaps if there is proper public-private participation to encourage better transparency in performance, there is hope for improvement.
Grand announcements were made by CESC for having launched ₹226 Cr project to modernize power infrastructure in Kodagu district with planned new substations, upgraded distribution lines, advanced monitoring systems to enhance reliability and reduce outages, over a year ago. Instead of inaugurating numerous festivals and more announcements of new projects – is it too much to ask the political representatives and district administration for a periodic report (quarterly?) on projects of public importance? Kodagu’s infrastructure is abysmal and needs immediate remedial action – not more Nammes, community halls and such non-priority non-developmental work.
There was much elation when the CESC investment was announced to future-proof Kodagu’s infrastructure. How can there be any improvement to development or quality of life with poor infrastructure? Why are our community leaders blind to the obvious lack of infrastructure?
Thankfully Tamilnadu is surplus in power and we hardly have any shutdowns.
Karnataka with all its power plants has made a mess of it’s distribution system, especially in the urban areas. Talking about Rural – in the case of Coorg, it probably has to do with “work ethic”, reflecting in poor maintenance and callousness in attending to customer complaints.
The need of the hour is “accountability” -as in theory there is no shortage of power.
It has nothing to do with the weather or terrain. The government is misleading the citizens with their “free free free” bonanza to be in power. Even in Mysore a flash of lightening somewhere or an occasional thunder and the power goes off. They dont have the funds to keep it going but have the cunning ingenuity to switch off the power to save electricity. Today I am paying almost Rs.1700/- for 140 units where as three years ago the same consumption was around Rs.800/- . I can’t get on free band wagon because of an infrequently used cottage in Madikeri where the consumption is less than 70 units.
Strange rules. What to do we have to succumb to the cunning deceit of power mongers.