Aruchal district plans small hydro projects for self-sufficiency in power

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itagar, Jun 13: Close on the heels of serious power crisis in Lohit district and several old hydropower projects (especially Dhurallah built way back in the year 1978) facing cost over-run, the Aruchal Pradesh Hydropower department has envisaged in tapping small hydropower project to meet up the growing demand of power in the district.

Dhas llah (2x100KW) and Digaru (1MW) power potential are the fresh projects taken up by the department to feed the burgeoning local demand.

“These two projects have the prospect to meet the demands of the township and adjoining villages while commissioning of the projects would also end forever the long depending syndrome of power and erratic power supply of 33KV line from neighboring state,” disclosed HPD AE Promod Tripathi. “We have been given a timeframe of 3 years to complete these projects.  Earlier the department had made adequate and systematic survey of the projects and submitted it to the government for sanction,” added the AE further informing that three more potential projects have been taken up at Wakro circle.

Subsequent to the major policy boost of the NDA in the renewable energy sector, the state government has planned to develop small hydropower project on priority basis. The NITI Aayog has agreed that the projects up to 100 MW could soon be promoted and taken up as small hydropower project under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Emphasizing on tapping of small hydropower project in the districts, Chief Minister, Kalikho Pul in his recent visit to the district had said that Anjaw is the best model for self sufficient power where small projects were set up even at the most interior Chaglagam circle to harness power for the nearest villages. “The district of Aruchal is blessed with innumerable rivulets and streams which need to be harnessed to generate power and to avoid dependence on Assam,” the chief minister had suggested.