Foundation for first biomass power plant in NE laid

Guwahati, Nov 21 (UNI) Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today laid the foundation stone for the first biomass power plant in the entire Northeastern region at Bangtahi village in Morigaon district of central Assam.

A host of dignitaries, including state Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi, state Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dr Nazrul Islam and Parliamentary Secretary, PWD, Bibekananda Dalai, attended the foundation stone laying ceremony.

The power plant, the first of its kind in the NE, will use rice husks and wood dust for power generation.

A West Bengal-based private company Amrit Bio-energy and Industries Limited would set up the plant.

The NE power plant would be the company's second venture in biomass power after investing in another similar 10 MW facility in Bankura district of West Bengal, which would start generation from January.

Laying the foundation stone, Mr Gogoi said the biomass plant would encourage more investment in power generation through alternate sources and reduce the heavy dependence on hydel power projects.

Stressing that power demand would go up in the state with rapid development and industrialisation, he urged more private companies to invest in the power generation sector in the state and assured complete cooperation from the state government.

State Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi highlighted the steps taken by the state government to attract more investments in the state in all sectors.

''This 10 MW biomass power plant in Assam will see investment to the tune of Rs 55 crore and be operational in 18-20 months time.

About 80 people will benefit directly from the plant while another 400 will be benefitted indirectly,'' he said.

The power generated at the Morigaon plant will be sold to the Assam government at Rs 3.50 per unit, while the cost to be incurred by the plant per unit of production would be Rs two, Mr Bordoloi added.

UNI