Calls for stringent guidelines while signing MoUs
SHILLONG: Mincing no words on the sorry state of power projects in Meghalaya, Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh questioned the credibility of the private power developers roped in by the Government for the tasks.
Lyngdoh expressed deep concern over the failure of many of the projects which did not even take off despite memorandum of understandings (MoUs) being signed with private players.
“I am not sure if the private developers which the State Government had signed the MoUs with even had the technical know how to implement the power projects,” Lyngdoh said while delivering his inaugural address at the one-day seminar on Power & Renewable Energy Sustainability Summit organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce here on Friday.
The Deputy Chief Minister also wanted to know if the ICC could step in to help the State Government in identifying private players who have the capacity to implement the power projects.
“We do not want to lose out on our potential of developing hydro-electric projects simply because of wrong choice of firms,” Lyngdoh said adding that there should be a stringent clause in the MoUs to ensure that the project is completed within a specific time frame.
“We cannot allow things to always get out of control. We have allowed the firms take advantage of the situation due to the flaws in the agreements,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.
He also spoke of the tremendous potential the Northeast had in terms of power generation. The minister, however, lamented that despite being in an advantageous position, the region has failed to capitalize on it mainly due to lack of proper planning, remote location and inaccessibility.
Lyngdoh felt that with continual improvement of infrastructure and communication facilities, the Northeast stands to become the power house of India by utilizing its surplus power potential, especially in the hydel sector.
NEC Secretary, Ameising Luikham said that the region offers a large potential in renewable energy which is yet to be exploited.
“There is also an imbalance between hydel and thermal power, both in terms of generation and availability. The transmission and distribution sector is the weakest link of the electricity industry in the region,” Luikham said adding that huge transmission and distribution losses, estimated to be at over 40 per cent, lower tariffs as compared to costs of generation and transmission and mounting losses of the state electricity boards are crippling the electricity sector of the region. (Contd in P-10) (Also read Rowell’s comments on waste of rain water)
Rowell slams…
(Contd from P-3)
He said that NEC would be assisting states, especially for development of the power sector.
State unable to retain rain water
Meanwhile, pointing out that the State is blessed with a high amount of rainfall Lyngdoh rued the fact that it has not been able to retain this blessing.
“The total amount of water which precipitates from Meghalaya either goes to Bangladesh or Brahmaputra. It is pretty sad that we have not been able to retain this water for generation of power,” Lyngdoh said.
It may be mentioned that the State receives bountiful rainfall in its southern river basins and boasts of the highest annual rainfall in the world in the Sohra-Mawynsram belt.
According to the State Water Resource Department, the average annual rainfall in Meghalaya is 2,818 mm. But the retention of the precipitation is discouraging.
“Estimates point out that a mere 1.6 per cent of the total precipitation is being retained in the State. This is a small margin if we compare the amount of rainfall we receive,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.
Lyngdoh said that the State Government will have to take necessary steps to retain the rainfall to help in the generation of power.
He also said the state has got other resources like coal and uranium for generating electricity, but has not been able to utilize them.
Director of North Eastern Regional Power Committee, Shillong, Brieflee Lyngkhoi said efforts should be made by everyone including the stakeholders in power generation to bridge the average shortage of power of 4000 MW and maximum shortage 6000 MW.
Lyngkhoi, however, informed that the power deficit could be met from the Eastern region.
“During the lean hydro season, power is imported from Eastern region while during high hydro period, the surplus power is exported to the Eastern region,” he said.
He said that since generation of power in the Northeast is predominantly hydro, the region has to face shortage of power due to delayed monsoon.
The Power & Renewable Energy Sustainability Summit was organized with the objective of creating a common platform for discussion among the various stake holders in the Government and the private sector.