Al Ngullie
Dimapur, August 6
THE Ministry of Power has identified at least 90 new sites in Nagaland to set up hydro electricity plants that – if realized – can not only ease the energy shortage in the state but mitigate the pressure on the northern grid feeding the North Eastern province. Minister of State in-charge of Power Jyotiraditya M Scindia told the Rajya Sabha today, August 6, that the government is working to add ‘fresh capacity’ by harnessing the generation-potential available in the country. The power ministry has identified 99 sites in Nagaland where the ministry plans to set up hydro electricity plants as part of “measures” the Center is taking to add ‘new capacity addition,’ Scindia told the House. “The government is taking several measures to achieve the new capacity addition target to meet the growing demand for power and providing power to all. The National Electricity Policy 2005, inter alia stipulated that ‘Availability of Power – Demand to be met fully by 2012,” Scindia told the Upper House on Tuesday.
Setting up new hydroelectricity generating sites in the north east region is understood to be a part of the current 12th 5-year-plan (2012-2017), according to the minister.
The Minister said that that 1, 279 sites in the North Eastern region have been identified for the purpose of setting up mini hydroelectricity plants. The estimated potential of power and energy that the sites project is around 2598.63 Megawatts, he minister said.
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur are the states that have more than one hundred sites that could prove a power mine. Scindia said 677 sites in Arunachal Pradesh have been identified for hydro projects that could offer a power potential of 1341.38 MW; Assam has 119 sites that could generate 238.69 megawatts while Manipur has 114 suites that project a hydroelectricity potential of 109.13 megawatts. In Nagaland the ministry has identified 99 sites to set up hydel projects that project a potential of 196.98 megawatts, the minister of state in-charge told the Rajya Sabha.
A total of 88,537 Megawatts of fresh capacity comprising 10,897 megawatts hydro-generated power, 72,340 megawatts of thermal-generated power and 5,300 megawatts of nuclear energy, is planned to be added during the Twelfth Five Year Plan Period, Scindia said.
However, actual formulation may take some time. According to the minister, the Ministry of Environment & Forests has insisted basin-wise cumulative environment impact assessment studies of the envisaged hydro projects. The approach is to “deal effectively with likely problems relating to submergence, rehabilitation and resettlement issues and likely impact in the down-stream areas,” Scindia told the Rajya Sabha.
The Environment & Forest ministry has also stipulated comprehensive measures for environmental safety, the minister for state said. He assured that undertakings such as mini hydroelectricity projects “have only a limited environmental impact.”
The current demand for power in Nagaland is 110 megawatts. Even the off-peak demand for power is 70 megawatts. In March this year, \ Chief Engineer for Power of Nagaland K. Miachieo told the Media that the “actual availability” during peak hours (5 pm to 10 pm) was 60 MW while during off-peak hours (10 pm to 5 pm), it was just 40 Megawatts. A number of “measures” are being taken by allied power department, the New and Renewable Energy department of the state. The department has installed a 10 kilowatts hybrid (wind and solar) power plant
The Working Group on Power for 12th Five Year Plan had stated earlier that the investment required during the plan period in the power sector would be around Rs.13, 72,580 crores including funds required for generation and setting up power plants.
