Tripura power project to be operational from Dec, 2011

CORRESPONDENT
AGARTALA, Mar 12 – The 740-MW power project will be ready for generation by December 2011, Tripura Assembly was informed on Thursday.

Replying to a notice moved by CPM MLAs Sukumar Barman and Sudhan Das, Power Minister Manik

Dey told the House that the State government has already handed over required land to the ONGC Tripura Power Company Ltd (OTPC) to set up the mega power project.

The OTPC, a joint venture to implement the project, has already given the contract to the Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd (BHEL) for supplying equipment meant for the 740 MW power project, he said.

He said, if the plan goes in right direction, the first unit will be operational from December 22, 2011 while second unit will be ready by March 2011.

“The venture has already been announced as regional project following demands from the various North-eastern State governments”, Dey said.

Apart from Tripura, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalya will get power from the power project, he said.

However, the transshipment of heavy equipment for the proposed power project still remains a cause of concern for the OTPC as well as the State government.

“The Assam-Agartala National Highway (NH-44), the lone national highway connecting Tripura with the rest of the country will not suitable for transshipment. We are exploring all options to bring heavy equipment for the project”, said an official of the Power Department.

He said, the State is keeping in touch with the Centre so that inland water of Bangladesh could be used for this purpose.

Here it may be recalled that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had laid the foundation stone for the project at Palatana in Udaipur subdivision in October, 2005.

Dey further informed the House that the NEEPCO’s Manarchak project has already got the green signal from the Public Investment Board (PIB).

Now the NEEPCO awaits the nod from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), he added. ASSAM TRIBUNE