Centre looking towards NE for green energy

The North East, which has tremendous power potential but little has been explored, has to play a big role in generation of green energy, Union Minister of State for power Bharatsinh Solanki has said.

The 11th Five-Year Plan envisages to generate around 78,000 Mw of power. But, during a recent conclave on the 12th Plan, the government considered to add another 1 lakh Mw, Solanki said here last night.

Both the Centre and states were making efforts to promote the private sector in power generation, he said.

The minister stressed that the Centre was aware of the vast potential of the North-East to generate power. Arunachal Pradesh alone has a potential of 60,000 Mw, but only 2 per cent of it has been tapped so far.

 

The state-run North Eastern Electric Power Corporation would add 900 Mw power to the national grid by 2012, he said.

Indirectly referring to the controversy over big dams, the minister said, "During construction of projects, we are ensuring that all environmental and forest regulations are adhered to. The people of the area are most important."

The minister said the power sector could generate almost a lakh employment during the next plan.