Meghalaya will be generating 2,000 MW of power in near future and for this the state has roped in private power developers and state-owned North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (Neepco) to implement several power projects, said Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma.
Sangma, while presenting the state budget for 2012-13 on Monday, said the state government “accords high priority to the power sector and efforts are on to make the state self sufficient in power.”
He added that steps had been initiated to increase the generation capacity, and also augment the transmission and transformation system.
The first unit of the Myntdu-Leshka Hydro Electric Project has been commissioned, and the second and third units are expected to be operational by the first and second quarter of 2012-13. Total capacity addition of this project will be 126 MW. The new Umtru and Ganol projects will add another 62.5 MW in the next two to three years.
Further, the state government proposed to take up renovation and modernisation of Umiam Stage III project in 2012-13, for which proposal has been sent to the Centre for funding under Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) loan.
Sangma said Meghalaya would be implementing hydro as well as thermal power projects to generating 2,000 MW of power in coming years and Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) had been signed to this effect with Neepco as well as with private power developers. “State government has signed MoAs with Neepco and private project developers for implementation of hydro and thermal projects of around 2000 MW,” said the chief minister.
Also, steps have been taken to connect the state to the North East Grid, and the Misa-Byrnihat transmission line has been commissioned. “The Misa-Byrnihat transmission line has enabled us to draw central sector share of power without depending on Assam. The Agia-Nangalbibra transmission line, expected to be commissioned shortly, would provide an alternative line to Garo Hills”, Sangma said.
