Sikkim govt to get 12% power from NHPC project

Gangtok, Feb 12 (UNI) The Sikkim government will be receiving 12 per cent of the power generated from the NHPC 501 MW Teesta Stage V project which is expected to be fully commissioned by March 31.

Official sources said here today that the project is located at Dikchu, East Sikkim, and its first unit (170 MW) had already been successfully synchronised on February two.

''The state government's share translates into 30.876 crore units of energy per year once the Teesta Stage V is fully commissioned.

The state will get the 12 per cent free power from the commercial operation date of Stage V which is expected to be in April,'' the sources added.

''The Sikkim Energy and Power department trades power at the rate of Rs 5.21 per unit towards sale of electricity outside the state,'' principal chief engineer-cum-secretary P Wangchen told UNI today.

''Based on this rate, the revenue for Sikkim on account of 12 per cent free power for Teesta Stage V will be approximately Rs 145 crore per annum after deducting 10 per cent in transmission and transformation losses,'' he added.

However, Mr Wangchen said the state would meet its local demand in the first instance and whatever surplus power was left, it would be sold to other states at the rate of Rs 5.21 per unit.

The surplus power will be sold through licensed traders after floating open tenders, he said, adding that the rate of power to the big industries coming to Sikkim will depend as per the MoU.

Sikkim's present peak power demand is around 60 MW and around 70 MW is available with the state. Power is sold at the rate of Rs 2.50 per unit for domestic purposes and during 2006-07, Rs 33.10 crore was collected by the power department towards sale of energy to the consumers within Sikkim.

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