Hand over 3 projects to NEEPCO: Govt

Shillong, Oct 28: Union Power Secretary R V Shahi has proposed the Meghalaya government to hand over the three major power projects in the State to the North East Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO).

The three power projects were the 450 MW Kynshi Hydro Electric Power in West Khasi Hills district, 6 x 120 MW thermal plant in Garo Hills and another 240 MW thermal project in West Khasi Hills.

"I have asked Chief Minister J D Rymbai to hand over the projects to NEEPCO," Mr Shahi told reporters here, adding that the state government would sign a MoU with NEEPCO soon.

The Union Power Secretary yesterday called on Mr Rymbai at the latter's office and had a threadbare discussion on the power scenario in the state.

'' In the last 20 years, practically there has been no capacity addition in the State by the Meghalaya State Electricity Board (MeSEB). Besides that, there is power shortage in the State," Mr Shahi said, asserting that the Chief Minister also agreed on the issue raised by him.

"We want the State electricity board to do two and three projects and other two or three can be done by NEEPCO", Mr Shahi asserted.

On the Misa-Byrnihat transmission line, Mr Shahi said his ministry has directed the Power Grid Corporation of India and MeSEB to work together. Both the parties would sign an agreement by next week and by November last they would begin to work on the project, he said.

Mr Shahi who was here reviewed on the power scenario in the region. The meeting was attended by officials of the Power Grid Corporation of India, National Thermal Power Corporation, Rural Electrification Corporation, NEEPCO and senior representatives of all the State Electricity Boards of the region including Meghalaya, Asom, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

UNI