SHILLONG: At a time when the state is being forced to resort to load-shedding to avoid a bigger crisis in the coming months, the Government is engaged in pushing North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) to complete all projects, both hydro and thermal power, assigned to it by Meghalaya.
Speaking to media persons after the Cabinet meeting here on Friday, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said the Government would review the status of all the ongoing power projects in the state next month.
Sangma said while the bigger projects may take some time to complete, he was hopeful that the smaller ones would come up shortly.
According to the Chief Minister, the 450-MW Kynshi Hydro Power Project Stage II is held up as it is awaiting clearance from the Ministry of Atomic Energy and other line ministries in view of the likely submergence of the uranium deposits once the project is developed.
He further pointed out that the preliminary Detailed Project Report for the 270-MW Kynshi Project Stage I has been presented and the Government has approved the size and location of the dam.
“The matter has to go to the Central Electricity Authority for further clearance and there can be financial closure,” Sangma said, adding that it would then depend on the willingness of the banks to give loans for the projects.
The 270-MW Kynshi Hydel Power Project Stage I is to be implemented by Athena Project Private Limited and the stage II is to be implemented by Jaypee Group.
Earlier, the State Government had directed Jaypee Group, which has been entrusted to execute the 450-MW Kynshi (stage -II) Hydro Electric Project on River Kynshi, to shift the project 3 km downstream. The Government issued this directive following the Atomic Mineral Division’s request to the State Government for shifting the project to another site “since there is a fear that it would submerge the areas with uranium deposits.”
