NEEPCO to raise capacity to 2000 MW by 2016: CMD

The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation will take its generation capacity to around 2000 MW by March 2016, the company's Chairman and Managing Director P C Pankaj said here today.
Pankaj, who came here to review the proposed Manarchak power plant in Sipahijala district, met Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and Power Minister Manik Dey and discussed various issues related to power sector.
After the meetings, he told reporters that NEEPCO wanted to increase its power generation from the current 1130 MW to 2000 MW power by March 2016.
"Currently, we are producing 1130 MW power which is almost 40 per cent power generation in the north eastern region. As of now, five power projects are in the pipeline which could produce more than 800 MW power by March 2016," he said.

Besides, the Mizoram government had cleared DPR for three power projects while the NEEPCO was going to ink a Memorandum of Understanding with Manipur government very soon for taking up four power plants, he said.
Pankaj said the Manarchak power plant was likely to be commissioned by December next with the ONGC working hard to lay gas pipeline within the stipulated time of December 31.

"The 101 MW power plant is ready to be operation since September, last year but could not be commissioned as ONGC had failed to supply gas to the plant," he said.
The NEEPCO is going to rope in Tripura State Electricity Corporation (TSECL) to increase power generation of the existing power projects in the state.

"We are going to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TSECL to increase power generation at Rukhia and Barmura gas thermal power plants on June 21," he said.
The joint venture comprising NEEPCO and TSECL would also increase power generation of state's lone hydro electric plant at Dumbur from 7 MW to 16 MW.
"All the three projects will cost around Rs 320 crore and the expenditure will be shared by the NEEPCO and the TSECL", he said.