Meghalaya signs agreement with NEEPCO to commission hydro power plants

The Meghalaya government on Tuesday signed an agreement with the state owned North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) for commissioning of three hydro electric projects with a total generation capacity of 235 MW.

Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, also in charge of the Power department, after the agreement signing ceremony, said the NEEPCO under the agreement would set up the Umiam stage 1, stage 2 and stage 3 hydro power plants.

The Umiam stage 3 is in the final stage and NEEPCO is expected to start the implementation process soon. Both Stage-I and Stage-II would cost around Rs 1,750 crore with 70 per cent loan.

Noting that Meghalaya has been facing power deficit of 50 per cent of total demand of electricity during peak hours, Tynsong said that he told the NEEPCO officials and engineers to ensure that the signing of an agreement on Tuesday should not remain in the paper but should be made into a reality at the earliest.

He said that the state government is likely to scrap agreements signed earlier with few more private investors as they failed to execute their commitments.

--IANS

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