Thiruvananthapuram to get India's first EIB

Thiruvananthapuram: Are you planning to cut down on power consumption, but is not sure as to how to go about it? Soon, you will get all the answers just by dialling 1800 425 5256. If things go as planned, an Energy Information Bureau (EIB), the first of its kind in the country, will be inaugurated in Thiruvananthapuram next month.

A project of the Energy Management Centre (EMC), the Bureau of Energy Efficiency’s (BEE) nodal agency for energy conservation initiatives in the State, the EIB is being set up on the EMC campus at Chavadimukku, near Sreekariyam. The chief job of the bureau will be to clear the doubts of the general public regarding conservation of energy, Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed told the Assembly on Thursday in a written reply.

For instance, imagine you are building a house, and you need some advice on efficient electrification. All you have to do is call the bureau, said EMC director K M Dhareshan Unnithan. "It’s not just that. If a consumer is planning to buy a refrigerator or a grinder, the bureau can advice on the most energy-efficient makes available. The bureau aims at instilling an awareness about energy-efficient appliances in the public,’’ Unnithan said.

Or, for instance, if a consumer wishes to know the electricity consumption level in his household, he can provide the bureau with details of electrical appliances, including the number of bulbs and fans, and the bureau will calculate the consumption level for him/her. The bureau, which is tentatively scheduled to be inaugurated next month, will be open from 10 am to 5 pm daily, Unnithan said.

According to the Electricity Minister, the bureau will liaison with libraries, schools and colleges in a bid to raise awareness about the need to save electricity. The bureau will also distribute booklets on energy conservation and efficiency as part of this, he said. The EMC has been instrumental in energy conservation initiatives in the State including the hyped CFL scheme implemented through the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).