Citizens relieved as load shedding hours pruned
SHILLONG: With the controversial Myntdu Leshka Hydro-Electric Project (MLHEP) generating 70 MW of power and the State-owned North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) deregulating power supply to the State, residents of Shillong will breathe easy as the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) has announced that the load shedding duration would be cut down to five hours each day.
Officiating Chief Secretary Barkos Warjri on Wednesday informed that pre-Monsoon showers for the past few days have helped MHLEP to generate power to the tune of 70 MW as against the dismal output of 6 MW in the past.
Senior Engineer of MeECL, Elias Lyngdoh, also informed said that there was heavy rain in the catchment area since Wednesday morning enabling the MHLEP to generate 70 MW of power.
The revised five-hour load shedding schedule would be made effective from Thursday, the Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited announced.
With NEEPCO confirming that MeECL would be eligible to draw additional power to the tune of 30 MW during off-peak hours and up to 78 MW during peak hours in addition to approximately 12 MW of power being supplied to Meghalaya from Kopili Hydro Electric Plant, residents of the city can now look forward to power supply for a minimum of 19 hours each day.
Incidentally, Meghalaya did not receive its share of power from the Palatana Gas project in Tripura as the plant did not generate power on Wednesday afternoon.