By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 7: The success story of the 900MW Purulia Pumped Storage Project (PPSP) in West Bengal which was commissioned in 2007, becoming the first in the country to use pumped storage technique, could likely become a model to be emulated by Meghalaya to augment its power generation.
Returning after a visit to the project site, Power Minister AT Mondal said the PPSP is India’s first 900MW pumped storage project and has set a remarkable precedent for others to follow.
“Given the escalating demand for power in our state, we are eagerly exploring avenues to augment the power infrastructure using the same technology,” he said.
The PPSP uses pump storage technology based on hydel power generation. The main objective of PPSP is to meet peak load demand of the system and utilise excess available power of the system during off peak time to flatten the load demand curve.
Meghalaya presently operates eight hydroelectric power plants with a rated capacity of 355 MW, drawing 228 MW from central generating stations. As much as 68% of the power generated in the state is through hydroelectric projects.
Commissioner and Secretary of Power, Sanjay Goyal, who also accompanied the minister, said that the state government is going for an all-out effort to ease power crisis.
“There are many hydro projects in the state and the knowledge gained from the visit to Purulia will be employed to augment the state’s hydel projects.”
SD Biswas, Director (Generation) of West Bengal State Electricity Distributor Company Limited made a presentation to the state team, highlighting the technical intricacies related to the project.
