The North Eastern Council has agreed to take up the preliminary investigation of Kynshi Hydel Project in the South Western Meghalaya at a cost of Rs. 98.8 lakhs. The scheme which will be implemented by the Meghalaya State Electricity Board has already been cleared by Electricity Authority. Central Water Commission, Planning Commission and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The first phase of investigation is likely to be completed within 2 ½ years while the complete investigation will take about 6 years. The project report will be prepared after the detailed investigation is completed. An amount of Rs. 10 lakhs has been provided by North Eastern Council for the current year.
The Report on Preliminary Investigation for Kynshi Basin as prepared by the Meghalaya State Electricity Board reveals that the project will generate 500 MW of power in different stages. The projected production in the first stage will be 170 MW while construction cost for Stage-I will be Rs. 113 crores. The cost of generation of per unit of power will be 20 paise which is described MSEB as quite cheap. It may be mentioned here that Meghalaya which is endowed with an estimated power potential of about 1800 MW at 60% load factor concentrated mainly in the river Basin of Khasi and Jaintia Hills has been able to harness so far only 10% of the total potential. The estimate of the potential as worked out by the Central water and power Commission during the early part of 50s shows about 750 MW hydel power at 60% load factor from the basins of the North Umtru Khreih, Umkhen and Kopili while another 1050 MW of power at 60% load factor from the basins would be available from the South flowing rivers of Kynshi Umiew and Umrelong.
Because of the available facilities of communication in the basins of the North flowing rivers investigation works for Umiam-Umtru basin was taken at the beginning of 1950 and till now development of 4 stage in this basin has been completed and another stage in now under execution by the Meghalaya State Electricity Board. The development of the Kopili basin is under execution by NEEPCO.
Although the South flowing rivers of Khasi and Jaintia Hills have tremendous power potential, barring the river Myntdu no other river has been gauged resulting in absence of hydro metrological date. The present investigation as agreed by North Eastern Council would, therefore, go a long way in providing important information about the prospects of further power development in Meghalaya.
The Meghalaya State Electricity Board is of the view that with the taking up of investigation work of some of the south flowing rivers of Meghalaya in a phased manner the power position in the North-Eastern Region as well as in the adjoining eastern region could be improved considerably.