By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 8: The Meghalaya government negated immediate load-shedding in the state during the dry season but did not rule out the possibility of unscheduled power cuts due to the ongoing maintenance and infrastructure upgrades.
Power Minister AT Mondal addressed load-shedding concerns on Wednesday, explaining that the state is undertaking various projects, including the renovation of sub-stations, upgrading transmission lines, and replacing power poles.
He said these activities will require temporary shutdowns, which may lead to unscheduled power cuts.
Mondal emphasized that the state’s current power situation is stable, and load-shedding is not planned at the moment.
However, the government will assess the situation and take appropriate action if the need arises.
The minister also highlighted the government’s efforts to ensure that the upcoming board exams are not affected by power disruptions.
Meanwhile, to meet the growing power demands in the state, the government is exploring the possibility of initiating pump storage projects, although the policy for such projects is still in the draft stage.
The government has also approached the Union Power Ministry to ensure that Meghalaya benefits from these projects discussed during the North Eastern Council’s plenary session in Agartala in December.
Mondal acknowledged that the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited still carries a significant amount of debt. However, the state government is working on clearing these dues, including pending payments to the NTPC, in instalments.