NEEPCO to generate 2,000 MW by end-2017

it is a big task as 3 projects will be commissioned in 2017 with 770 MW, says A G West Kharkongor

With three projects in the pipeline, the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO) is expected to generate 2,000 MW by the end of the year, Chairman and Managing Director A G West Kharkongor said on Thursday.

"If things go smoothly, we will be a 2000 MW company by the end of this year," West, who assumed charge recently, told reporters.

He said it is a big task as three projects will be commissioned in 2017 with 770 MW.

The NEEPCO chief said that a 600 MW and a 110 MW unit will be commissioned in Arunachal Pradesh and the third one, a 60 MW unit, will be commissioned in Mizoram.

West led a high-level delegation team from NEEPCO to meet the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma in a courtesy visit as the company has one hydel project and a thermal power project, lined up in Meghalaya.

"We are doing the Mawphu second stage with the pre-investigation clearance sometime in the month of March and we (hope to) get the DC clearance by September. If everything goes well, we will start the work by October or so," he said.

In a landscape similar to Arunachal Pradesh, as many as 50 mini and micro hydel power projects have been identified all over Meghalaya aimed at meeting the state's power requirements.

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has identified nine mini and micro hydel projects with the potential of producing 13.06 MW out of which three are commissioned and one is under construction.