Meghalaya plans to add 700MW hydel capacity

With abundant hydro power generating potential, which is estimated to be around 4,000 mw, at its disposal, Meghalaya, one of the seven sisters of North East, is all set to tap the resource through public private partnership mode to generate more than 700 mw of power and targets to earn revenue of at least Rs. 1,000 crore in the coming years.

For that matter, the state government has come up with a new power policy, based on the parameters of electricity act of 2003, to facilitate private investment in the state's power sector.

Speaking to Business Standard, Mukul Sangma, deputy chief minster of Meghalaya, told that the government has already floated expression of interest (EoI) and as many as 30 small and big companies, such as JP group, Jindal group, Essar, Athena, have evinced interests in taking up the projects

The government has identified four projects to be developed either by private players on Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis or through joint ventures.

The cabinet has approved all the project and memorandum of understandings (MOUs) with private players would be signed soon, Sangma said. Further, the state government has decided to fund the state electricity board to conduct surveys of river basins to identify potential projects sites.

JP group, said Sangma, has shown interest to develop the Khynshi "� II and Umngot basin projects, and Athena and Seven Sister Energy Limited are interested for Khynshi "� I and Simsang basin projects respectively. Umiew, Myntdu and Umingi basin projects are other few big hydel projects which the state government plans to develop through private partnership.

Sangma said that the state government has been receiving "lot of proposals from prospective private players" for investing in these projects too.

The state of Meghalaya, which was once power surplus, is now plagued by severe power crisis.

The peak hour demand in the state is around 610 mw and the state generates just around 185 mw.

Once the projects are completed and put into operation, Sangma said, the state would not only be self sufficient in power but would also sell power to other states.

He added that the state would "expeditiously" develop these projects to meet the power shortage in the state.

In addition, Meghalaya, which is also known for its vast coal reserves, is exploring the possibilities in coal based thermal power projects. "We have huge potential to develop coal based thermal power projects and we are also working on that", said Sangma.

Two thermal power projects, one at Langrin and the other at Nangalbibra, have already been identified and would be built by North Eastern Electricity Power Corporation (NEEPCO).