GUWAHATI, 3 Dec: Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister Raj Kumar Singh informed that the 500 mw Lower Subansiri hydropower project is expected to be completed by August 2022.
He informed this during a review meeting with the power ministers of the northeastern states on the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) here in Assam on Friday.
Singh also informed that all the hurdles in connection with the 3,000 mw Dibang Multipurpose Project have been resolved.
Stating that his ministry aims at providing above 21 hours of power supply in rural areas and 23 hours of power supply in urban areas in the coming decade, the minister said, “We have connected the whole country in one grid and are strengthening the Northeast grid too. A total of 225 power stations and substations have been upgraded so far.”
Referring to the huge hydropower potential of Arunachal Pradesh, he said that the state would become the main exporter of power in the country and the power sector would enhance the GDP of the state.
The union minister also spoke on renewable energy, rooftop solar energy and KUSUM schemes.
Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, who also attended the meeting, informed that all the projects in Arunachal under the Centre’s rural electrification schemes like Saubhagya and the Deendayal Upadhyay Grameen Ujwala Yojana “will be completed within the current year and closure of these schemes will be finished by February 2022.”
Mein, who is also the minister in charge of power and non-conventional energy resources, said, “Thinly distributed population in remote villages, difficult mountainous terrain and dense forests, frequented by heavy rains, landslides, falling trees and snowfall in winter, coupled with frequent disruption of long distribution lines are the challenges faced by the state, which contributes to the high power loss.”
He, however, said that “despite all these challenges, Arunachal Pradesh is committed to march with the rest of the country for the implementation of the RDSS in Arunachal Pradesh.”
He informed that a distribution reforms committee and district electricity committees have been constituted and the Rural Electrification Corporation Power Development & Consultancy Ltd (RECPDCL) “has been appointed as consultant for preparation of action plan and detailed project report.”
Mein also informed that the power department has installed 24,874 prepaid energy meters in consumers’ premises in Itanagar and Naharlagun under the state plan head and “the revenue collection from these two towns through prepaid energy meters is very encouraging.”
Among others, the DCMs of Meghalaya and Tripura, Assam’s power minister, union Power Secretary Alok Kumar, DoNER Ministry Secretary Lok Ranjan, Assam Chief Secretary Jishnu Boruah, and the CMD of the RECPDCL were present at the meeting. (DCM’s PR Cell)
