Govt to soon lift load shedding: Tynsong

Speaking to reporters, Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Power Prestone Tynsong said that loadshedding is inevitable.

He informed that the government has to buy power from outside in view of the fact that there is less supply of power due to the decrease in the water level of the Umiam Lake and that the state is now totally dependent on the Myntdu Leshka power project.

“When we buy you need to understand the market price of per unit comes to around Rs 11 – Rs 12 whereas the government of Meghalaya or MeECL are selling to the consumers only Rs 6 per unit. Therefore, we need to understand the losses that MeECL has to bear,” he said.

According to him, due to this the loadshedding has to be imposed for at least one hour in a day.

Urging the consumers to bear with the state government, Tynsong however assured that the loadshedding will not cross one hour and that it is being temporarily imposed.

“We will make sure once the water level goes up, we will be able to remove the loadshedding in the entire state,” he said.

When asked, the deputy chief minister said, “Now we are paying regularly. Recently NTPC thank God with the intervention of the power ministry buying power as per agreement signed in 2007 now instead of paying by the state government now it has been shifted to the other states.”

He however said this is a temporary arrangement for 5-6 years. “Therefore, for a few more years we will not be able to draw power from NTPC. Otherwise NEEPCO and other agencies because the rate is quite reasonable, we will continue buying,” he added.

Meanwhile, the deputy chief minister informed that EOI has been floated for setting up of solar plants in the state.

“Very soon we will take a call on the matter. Once they qualify we will allot this project to those interested companies to set up a solar plant here in our state.,” he said.

By Our Reporter