NEEPCO to set up coal-based TPS in Meghalaya

Shillong, Apr 27 (UNI) The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) will soon set up two coal-based Thermal Power Stations (TPS) in West Khasi and Garo Hills in Meghalaya, an official release said here today.

The TPS requires about 3.30 million tonnes of coal per year from the North Eastern Coalfields (NEC) in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, besides, Meghalaya.

The Coal India Limited and the Oil India Limited, both Central undertakings, have formed a Joint Task Force (JTF) to explore the possibility of setting up a commercial coal liquefaction plant for conversion of coal into crude oil.

Officials said the minimum annual requirement of coal for the plants was 3.5 million tonnes and the JTF is exploring possibilities for production of this additional quantity of coal by NEC.

'' The NTPC willd now be a big consumer of NEC coal for their plants outside the region,'' the official statement added.

The NEC's production of coal had increased considerably during 2005-06 with 11.01 lakh tonnes and during 2006-07 it has been 7.41 lakh tonnes till December 31, 2006.

The marketing scenario had also improved with the annual despatch of coal with 11.70 lakh tonnes during 2005-06 and 8.15 lakh tonnes till December 2006 this fiscal.

The future strategy of NEC is to explore and exploit new reserves of coal in the NE Region, to meet the growing demand for coal.

UNI