NEEPCO to restore power from May 8

SHILLONG, MAY 6: Power starved Meghalaya can now rejoice with North Eastern Electricity Power Corporation (NEEPCO) deciding to restore power to the state from May 8 even as the Meghalaya government has sanctioned Rs 30 crore to the MeECL to pay off part of its debt to the central power sector.

NEEPCO had regulated power to Meghalaya since last year as the MeECL had failed to pay its pending dues amounting to Rs 379 crore. The power regulation by NEEPCO to the state hit the consumers hard as for the last two months the MeECL had to resort to frequent shutdown.

A meeting between NEEPCO, state government officials, MeECL and the union ministry of power held in Delhi on May 2 had decided that the central power sector will restore power to Meghalaya after the MeECL pays Rs 30 crore and Rs 20 crore for another three months as part of its payment for pending dues.

Inevitably, the Meghalaya government had to bailout the MeECL by lending it Rs 30 crore to enable the state power corporation to make payment to NEEPCO.

Meghalaya commissioner & secretary Jopthiaw Lyngdoh informed this website on Tuesday that the state government has sanctioned Rs 30 crore to the MeECL on Tuesday. He said, “ Now the MeECL will have to pay NEEPCO as part of its payment for the pending dues.”

As the Rs 30 crore was sanctioned on Tuesday by the state government to MeECL, NEEPCO official said that most likely the state power corporation will make the payment on Wednesday.

Incidentally, NEEPCO also issued a press statement on Tuesday evening quoting its Director (F) AG West Kharkongor who said, “The power supply to Meghalaya by NEEPCO will be resumed from May 8.”

Kharkongor, however informed that the matter will again be reviewed in the meeting of the union ministry of power on May 12.

According to Kharkongor, after deregulation the MeECL will be eligible to draw additional power to the tune of 30 MW during off-peak hours and up to 78 MW during peak hours in addition to approximately 12 MW of power being supplied to Meghalaya from Kopili Hydro Electric Plant.- By Our Reporter