Kohima: Amid the power supply crisis in Nagaland, Naga People’s Front (NPF) legislature party leader Kuzholuzo Nienu on Friday advocated the need to use thermal and solar energy as alternative energy source.
The legislator made the suggestion on the last day of the budget session as he raised starred questions on the erratic power supply in the state.
Minister incharge of power, KG Kenye in a written reply stated that the current maximum peak demand for Nagaland is 180 Mega Watt (MW).
The state’s average generation during monsoon is 21MW and the average generation during lean season (winter) is 7MW. At present, he said that the state owned Hydro Electric Projects are generating only about 6-7 MW maximum for10 hours (distributed) that is from 5AM to 10AM and from 3PM to 8PM.
The average shortfall, he noted, ranges from 14.1 MW to 60.5 MW (a shortage by about 8%to 33.5%). However, maximum shortfall for the month of February is 71MW (a shortage by about 39.5%).
To meet the current shortfall in power availability, the State Government, he said, is compelled to purchase power from the Energy Market with rates much higher than that of the long-term Tied up Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with various Generating Stations.
With negligible generation of the state’s own resources, the State depends mostly on the central sector allocation and the rest purchased from the Energy Market. The State Government, he said, is giving thrust to make power generation development a high priority to achieve energy self-sufficiency.
The department is putting all efforts to mobilise implementation of various identified hydro power projects. He said that the 42MW Lower Tizu HEP and 24MW Zungki HEP was approved by DEA, Ministry of Finance for EAP funding by Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The 2.4MW Duilumroi Hydro Project located in Peren District is scheduled for completion by March 31 this year. The proposed Dikhu 186MW HEP is aimed to address the power shortfall of the State, if executed. However, it is in a stalemate situation due to objection by two villages under Longleng district.
Kenye stated that solar power generation and others under Independent Power Producer (IPP) mode is also being taken up with initiation of the State Government. Three Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) have been signed with private developers for 20MW Solar Project at Ganeshnagar (Halo Energie Pvt Ltd), 27MW Thermal project at Tuli (Fitzroy Energy & Minerals Ltd) and 10MW Biomass Plant at AK Industrial village Ganeshnagar (Hutah Industries).
While the peak demand of the State is 181MW, the average availability of power from various Inter State Generating Stations and State owned generation station is 138MW during Monsoon and 110MW during lean season.
Further, during the lean hydro season (December to April), hydro generating stations are unable to generate to its full potential and also several thermal power stations in the region undergoes shut down for maintenance due to which the power availability for the State from central sector allocation is drastically reduced.
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According to the minister, unwarranted and unscheduled disruptions of power supply are largely caused by vegetation such as trees and bamboos coming in contact with the power lines. In view of improving power supply stability, the Department has declared the month of May and October as Vegetation Clearance month.
Furthermore, old and overloaded transmission and distribution infrastructures contribute a considerable portion in erratic power supply.
To this, Nienu advocated for the need to use thermal and solar energy to address the erratic power supply.
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