Faced with acute power shortage, Kerala government will be imposing half an hour load shedding across the state from Monday. The state electricity board has also suggested 20 to 25 per cent hike in power tariff to the Electricity Regulatory Authority. To overcome mullapperiyar dam safety issue Kerala has recently produced excess electricity from the Idukki reservoir, one of the largest in Asia, bringing down the water level of the dam to 35 per cent of its capacity. At present water level in other dams of the state is also alarmingly low. At the same time, power consumption has gone by almost 25 per cent recently. Despite stepped up power supply of 1266 MW from the central pool, Kerala is faced with unprecedented power shortage. The state electricity board is already in a financial crisis forcing it to propose substantial power tariff hike.