By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The pending power dues of over Rs 50 crore from the industries set up at Byrnihat and another amount of over Rs 30 crore from the Government departments have affected the cash flow of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) resulting in the present crisis of not being able to clear its own dues to National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO).
Informing this here on Thursday to The Shillong Times, the Additional Chief Secretary (in-charge power) BK Dev Verma admitted that there was not enough cash flow as income and expenditure of MeECL do not match.
Following the threat from NTPC that it would restrict power supply to Meghalaya due to the pending dues of two months, the MeECL on Thursday cleared Rs 3.5 crore to the country’s largest power producer.
“We hope that with the MeECL clearing a portion of dues, the NTPC will not regulate power”, Verma said.
NTPC provides 46 MW power to Meghalaya.
According to NTPC , the total pending dues for May and June to be paid by MeECL is Rs 14.06 crore.
After the inability of MeECL to pay the pending dues of over Rs 200 crore to NEEPCO, the latter had restricted supply of power to Meghalaya since two months. NEEPCO had provided 100 MW power to Meghalaya. According to the Government, the State is not resorting to power cuts as there is availability of 120 MW power from Leshka hydel project.