Centre approves MoAs for NEEPCO's two power projects

The Ministry of Power has approved the memorandum of agreements to be signed by Meghalaya government with the state-run North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) for executing two mega power projects in state, official sources said today.    

The MoAs for a 500 MW thermal power project in Garo Hills and the 85 MW Mawphu Stage II hydel project were approved yesterday, the sources said.

The agreements, which were approved by the Meghalaya cabinet in May last, are expected to be signed shortly.        

The clauses in the MoAs are confined within the provisions of the Meghalaya’s power policy and the Indian Electricity Act, 2003.        

"The project monitoring committees will try their best to ensure that it is implemented on time while strictly following the provisions laid down in the MoA," the sources said, adding that 80 per cent of the jobs generated by the projects would be reserved for locals.      

NEEPCO sources said one per cent of the project cost in the thermal project would be used for the development works in the project area in the East Garo Hills district.       

The power company has selected Narengri in East Garo Hills district as the site for the thermal project and the coal would be brought in from the neighbouring mines of South and East Garo Hills.        

NEEPCO, officials said, had identified the project area and had carried out preliminary survey works, before the MoU signed with the government was kept on hold for more than a year along with four other deals following a controversy over allotment of projects to private companies.        

The preparation of DPR would take about an year, while the project is expected to be completed in about four years’ time, the officials said.        

Although Meghalaya has a hydro-electric potential of 3000 MW, the present power generation capacity of the state is only 185 MW as against the demand of 600 MW.