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| Headlines Vol. 2 Issue7-8 | June 22- July 6 , 1999 |
NEEPCO's plans to make NE self-sufficient in power The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) is all poised to add 1130 mw of power by the end of the Ninth Plan and 2330 mw by the end of the Tenth Plan to make the region self-sufficient in power. According to an official document, the North-Eastern region of the country accounts for 33 per cent of the hydro power potential besides vast resources of natural gas and coal. The NEEPCO has presently installed capacity of 625 mw comprising 250 mw from hydro and 375 mw from gas-based sources and meeting around 4.5 per cent of peak demand of the region, it added. At present, NEEPCO is executing the 75 mw Doyang Hydro Electric Project in Nagaland, 405 mw Ranganadi Hydro Electric Project in Arunachal Pradesh and 60 mw Tuiral Hydro Electric Project in Mizoram, benefits of which would be reaped from 1999. This would not only give a fillip to the power-starved states of the region but also to create enormous opportunity for industrial development in the region, it added. The corporation had already planned to set up 210 mw Tuivai Hydro Electric Project in Mizoram, 180 mw Ranganadi Hydro Electric Project III in Arunachal Pradesh, 600-mw Kameng Hydro Electric Power Project in Arunachal Pradesh, 150 mw Lower Kopily Hydro Electric Power Project in Assam, 1500 mw Tipaimukh Hydro electric project in Manipur, 100 mw Dikrong Hydro Electric Project in Mizoram for which efforts have been initiated for early implementation. The power ministers of the North Eastern Region and Sikkim held two important meetings recently at Shillong and New Delhi and discussed various aspects of power in the region. Union Power Minister P. R. Kumarmangalam chaired both the meetings, while the next meeting will be held in Calcutta in July next. Tripura Power Minister Badal Chowdhury, who is also the chairman of the North East Regional Electricity Board (NEREB), said the Union Power Ministry has referred the scheme for improvement and development of sub-transmission and distribution works in the North-Eastern region to the Planning Commission for release of Rs. 84 crore from the non-lapsable fund during 1999-2000. In the meeting held at Shillong, it was indicated that Rs. 200 crore would be provided from the budget of the Ministry of Power for sub-transmission and distribution projects. Most of the North-Eastern states had accordingly submitted their reports, but the projects are now proposed to be funded from the non-lapsable pool. He said owing to high transmission charges being levied by the Power Grid Corporation in the North-Eastern states, the Ministry of Power had suggested an up-front grant of Rs. 790 crore or staggered capital grant, but the stand taken by the department of expenditure and the Planning Commission on the matter was rather short-sighted. Though the transmission charges have been pegged at 35 paise per unit, highest in the country, under protest of the constituent states, if the Power Grid Corporation was allowed to capitalise all the investment in the North-Eastern region, the uniform common power transmission tariff (UCPTT) might go up to more than Rs. one per unit which would make any activity using power unviable in the North-East. |
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