By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) Chairman-cum- Managing Director PC Pankaj on Wednesday said the corporate house is keen to develop power projects in the northeastern region jointly with private developers who had undertaken the projects but were yet to make any headway till date.
Speaking to media persons in the city on the sidelines of a regional conference – Empowering NE: Overcoming Challenges in Development of Power Sector in NE India – on Wednesday, Pankaj said, “We have invited them (power developers) through expression of interests for jointly developing the projects undertaken by them.”
The NEEPCO chairman’s statement assumes significance in view of the fact that Arunachal Pradesh has signed more than 108 pacts with private power developers while Meghalaya had signed nine in 2007. Most of these projects are hydel and none has made much headway. While expressing concern over the power scenario of the region, he said the northeastern region generates only 1200 MW out of the potential capacity of more than 59,000 MW.
“These power developers are not doing anything with the projects after singing the MoUs,” he said.
In this regard, the NEEPCO chief said certain companies having projects in Arunachal Pradesh have responded to the expression of interest put out in public domain.
Pankaj said the EoI would be extended for another two weeks as the company aims at finalising the project within three months.
Pankaj also informed 921 MW would be generated in the next three years from NEEPCO’s power projects – both hydel and thermal – in Arunachal, Mizoram and in Tripura.