As part of power sector reforms, the Meghalaya government has unbundled the Meghalaya State Electricity Board (MSEB) into four corporations under the Meghalaya Power Sector Reforms Transfer Scheme 2010.
The newly-formed corporations are the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL), the holding company, Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited (MePDCL), the distribution utility arm, Meghalaya Power Generation Corporation Limited (MePGCL), the generation utility arm and the Meghalaya Power Transmission Corporation Limited (MEPTCL), the transmission utility arm.
Government sources said that this was done under the provisions of the Electricity Act 2003, to bring about accountability, transparency, competitiveness, reduction of losses and improved performance for better customer satisfaction.
All assets, properties, rights, liabilities, obligations proceedings and personnel of MeECL have been transferred to the four corporations. Those under distribution, generation and transmission functions will stand deputed or transferred to MePDCL, MePGCL and MePTCL respectively, sources said.
All obligations in respect of pension, gratuity, leave encashment and other retirement benefits provident fund, superannuation and gratuity to the personnel, who have retired from the serviced of MSEB before the effective date of transfer, will be discharged by MeECL. All transfer of personnel from MSEB to MeECL shall be provisional for a period of 12 months, sources said.
Meghalaya, once a power surplus state, is presently starving for power. Against peak hour demand of 650 MW, the state’s power generation capacity presently is mere 175 MW, which is exclusively hydel-based. Consequently, the state, including its capital city Shillong, witnesses routine load-shedding daily.
It is estimated that Meghalaya has a hydro-power potential of about 3,000MW, of which only about 6 per cent has been tapped till now.
