Tripura likely to go black as NEEPCO may stop power supply

A CORRESPONDENT

AGARTALA, April 1: Tripura is under threat of spending nights in darkness as the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation is all set to stop power supply to the state if a huge overdue of Rs 180.33 crore is not cleared by Tuesday, i.e. April 5.

The overdue includes the principal amount and the interest on it.

An official of the NEEPCO told the reporters that the corporation has granted a relief of Rs 24 crore on the accumulated interest if the dues are cleared by March 31 as per request from the State government. But the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited has cleared only 5 crore.

As per the sources the cost of the power Tripura is consuming every month comes to Rs 10 to Rs 12 crore which they are not paying in time. The huge overdue was accumulated since 2013. Shyamal Kumar Roy, CMD of the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited admitted that a crisis is prevailing and said they have already approached to the state government. “Let us see what happens,” he said.

As per the Central electricity act NEEPCO grants a relaxation of two per cent on the total billed amount if the bill is paid within one month and one percent if the bill is paid beyond one month but within two months. In case of failure of availing the benefits the consumer will have to pay an interest at the rate of 18 per cent.

It is learnt that the accumulated overdue of Rs 180 crore includes both the principal amount and interest on it.

Tripura will reel under the shortage of around 100 MW which the state is drawing from NEEPCO. In that case the State will have to mage with only 90 MW the state is generating on its own.

Tripura emerged as one of the major power generating state in the region since the 726 MW Palata power project started generating power. But at this time of crisis it won’t come into the aid of the State as the 100 MW being exported to Bangladesh from Palata is from the share of Tripura. The State had voluntarily offered to give it to Bangladesh and it is not possible to discontinue as it will mean violation of an intertiol agreement.

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