Centre approves 5 MW mini hydropower project: Biswajit
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 28 2022: Power minister Th Biswajit has said that the government is taking up various initiatives to enhance power generation capacity with the effort getting boosted as the union power ministry has approved setting up of a 5-megawatt mini hydroelectric project in the state on the Centre-state funding pattern of 90:10.Speaking at the 45th meeting of North Eastern Region Power Committee (NERPC) Commercial Co-ordination Sub-Committee held at Classic Grande, Imphal on Tuesday, Biswajit recalled that when he became the power minister for the first time, he was surprised to find the state government having no power generation capacity.

While revealing that state used to sell electric power incurring loss instead of making profit, he maintained that in order to set up a power generation project for the state, the BJP government went on a hunt for potential sites.

Fortunately, the state is blessed with abundant resources to generate hydroelectric which include 1500 MW Tipaimukh, 190 MW Pabram, 60 MW Irang, 51 MW Tuivai, 70 MW Nungleiband and 67 MW Khongnem Chakha hydroelectric projects, all of which have not been taken up yet, the minister said and expressed that the state would be able to meet its power requirement if the government could tap the full potential of these sites.

The state has power bill due of around Rs 140 crore but it can be easily cleared if the power company could collect the due bills from government departments, which come to around Rs 90 crore.

Process has been initiated to collect the same, he said.

Biswajit then urged the gathering to deliberate on possible solution to the challenge face by the government in delivering surcharge and supplementary bill to the customers and stressed on the importance of discuss about the ministry's plan for setting up 5 MW mini hydroelectric projects in all northeast states and how the government can send recommendations to get the project.

In his address, principal secretary (power) Rajesh Agarwal said that power sector is a key component in bringing development in the society.

Taking into account that per capita energy consumption is a parameter to assess socio-economic development, the UN's sustainable development goal requires not only providing ade quate energy to the public but also to increase green energy share, he said.

He further added that power generation and transmission in the northeast region has improved significantly in the last decade.

Among the smaller states, Manipur has brought significant improvement in transmission, the principal secretary informed while disclosing that the state is witnessing twofold energy demand in the last decade which shows the progress in socio-economic development.

Even though the northeast states are facing burden in power supply to the public, the burden should not be directed towards the consumers, he stressed and pointed out that Manipur has been able to provide a reliable power supply of 22 to 23 hours per day.

Even though the state has huge potentials for hydroelectric projects, there is the need to set up smaller projects considering the environmental impact of mega projects, he contended.

NERPC member secretary B Lyngkhoi, MSPDCL MD Ng Subhaschandra, MSPCL MD N Sarat, NERPC chairman Penrithung Yanthan, NERPC director SM Aimol and representatives from different northeast states also attended the meeting.

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