SHILLONG, March 2: The intake capacity of the Sonapani mini hydro electric project (1.54 mw capacity), a British-era project that would complete its 100 years of existence next year, has been acutely affected by the recent landslides in the area.
Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) Chief Managing Diector, Arunkumar Kembhavi, while speaking to The Shillong Times, informed that the project was getting its supply from Umshyrpi and Wahumkhrah rivers. However, after the landslides, the supply from Umshyrpi River has been cut off and the project is now continues to receive the supply only from Wahumkhrah River.
“But we are still hopeful and optimistic that the project can generate around 1.5 mw of power during the peak of monsoon,” he said, adding that a building was also damaged in the area due to the landslides, which was vacated later on the apprehensions of collapse.
The MeECL is also claiming an insurance damage of Rs 50 lakh in the aftermath of the landslides.
The heritage hydel project was first commissioned in 1922 and after supplying electricity to Shillong for more than six decades, was shut down in April 1982 as the machines had outrun their utility.
However, the revival of the Rs 9.88-crore project was approved in 2001, the construction work began in 2004 and it was finally recommissioned in 2011. The hydel project, which is the oldest power project in Meghalaya right now, is able to generate around 900 kws.
It may be mentioned that the project was first conceived following a report prepared in 1908 by JW Meares, a British engineer, who pointed out that Shillong was one of the ‘worst lit’ hill stations, albeit it was the then Summer Capital of the New Province (Eastern Bengal and Assam).
