The Hindu : Business : Power capacity to go up in NE States

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Wednesday, Aug 01, 2007
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Power capacity to go up in NE States

Staff Reporter

KOLKATA: The power sector in the Northeastern States is likely to witness a capacity addition of at least 5,600 MW in the XI Plan, Anil Razdan, Union Power Secretary, said here on Tuesday.

Addressing a seminar on the power situation in the Northeast — North East Powermart — organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, Mr. Razdan said that though there were not enough capacity additions in the X Plan, around 36,000 MW would be added to the region by the XII Plan from hydro-power and other sources. While the ongoing projects in the Northeast would attract an investment of Rs. 28,000 crore, there was another Rs. 10,000-crore worth schemes in transmission and distribution.

Pradyut Bordoloi, Minister for Power, Public Enterprises, Industry and Commerce in the Assam Government, said that apart from thermal and hydro power plants, the focus was on small hydro projects of around 25 MW capacity in which power could be generated on the plains unlike conventional hydropower which could be generated only at the higher reaches. Around 97 locations had been identified for the purpose.

While the current demand in Assam was 850 MW, its present generation was 200 MW, Mr. Bordoloi said. Investment planned in the Assam’s power sector, which would generate 1,250 MW, was Rs. 5,000 crore, in the next five years, he added.

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