By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 29: State Power Minister AT Mondal underscored the need to tap Meghalaya’s hydropower potential immediately as the run-of-the-river projects come without investment.
“We are open to everything… I feel that we should tap our hydropower potential as soon as possible because we get free power from the run-of-the-river projects without investing a single rupee,” he said.
Stating that the department is currently working on a project, he said, “We are upgrading this project from 3 megawatts to 6 megawatts. We sent the DPR to Rourkela, and they vetted it and said it can be done.”
Mondol, however, said that while the MePGCL takes loans from different agencies to construct the power stations, it could explore sources of funding with zero interest.
He said a central finance assistance scheme offering up to Rs 20 crore at Rs 7 crore per megawatt has been stopped, but all the power ministers of the Northeastern states have flagged the issue with the Union Power Ministry.
“It is being looked into. If it comes, it will be helpful for us for generations,” he said.
Mondal also said MePGCL has prepared 12 DPRs for small hydropower projects. “By this year, we will clear all the windows as far as the 201 MW Leshka Phase 2 is concerned. The only thing is from where the funds will come,” he added.
