Tripura Electricity Board to be profitable by next year

Shillong, Oct 28 (UNI) Tripura topped the list among the North Eastern States for its performance in reducing Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses under the Accelerated Power Development&Reforms Programme (APDRP) scheme.

According to the Union Power Ministry, Meghalaya was the second state where reduction of losses under APDRP scheme has been successful.

Tripura State Electricity Board would become a profit making body by next year, Union Power Secretary R V Shahi told reporters after the review meeting of the North Eastern States on Power.

Mr Shahi said the reduction of AT&C losses in Meghalaya under the APDRP scheme has been commendable. As per records, he said the figures in Meghalaya are 38 per cent in 2003-04, 33 per cent in 2004-05 and 26 per cent in 2005-06.

At present, the Union Power Secretary said North East has roughly 2300 MW of installed capacity of power and that the requirement is 1200 MW. He projected eight to nine per cent growth of power demand in the region in the next ten years.

On the rural electrification, Mr Shahi said under the new definition of rural electrification, they will need a village headman to certify that there was distribution system, transformer, electrification of infrastructure offices and at least ten per cent of the households in the village.

The Power Grid Corporation has been assigned to personally verify if these conditions have been met,'' the Union Power Secretary said.

UNI RRK PC RN1920