Funds Released For Nhpc Projects

The Union power ministry has sanctioned Rs 34 crore to the National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC) to start pre-construction infrastructure development at the 710 mw Koel Karo and the 90 mw Loktak project in Manipur.

The amount forwarded to NHPC forms part of budgetary support to the corporation.

Both these projects are part of the 9,000 mw of hydel projects that the government plans to undertake during the Ninth Plan.

The pre-construction work and infrastructure facilities will include construction of roads and bridges, power supply for project construction, preparation of environmental management plans, acquisition of land for the project work and essential temporary residential and office accommodation.

The Koel Karo project in Bihar is estimated to cost around Rs 2,433.3 crore and envisages utilisation of both the South Koel and North Karo rivers for generating 1 billion units of power with a dependability factor of 90 per cent.

The Loktak project on the other hand is estimated to require an investment of Rs 648.02 crore. The project will generate 421 million units of power by utilising the Leimatak river. The ministry of power has already sanctioned Rs 20 crore for the 300 mw Chamera Stage-II hydel project in Himachal Pradesh.

NHPC plans to start work on all three projects during the current plan and once commissioned these projects are expected to pump in 1,100 mw of power to the national grid.