Assam Power Scenario: Demand Is 1,850 MW; Generation Only 260 MW

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Nobody knows as to when Assam will be self-sufficient in power. While power demand keeps on rising day-by-day, its generation has been stagnant for the past few years in the State. At present the demand of power at peak hour in the State is 1,850 MW against its own average production of just 260 MW daily. The worst is that in the past three years, APGCL (Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd) has taken up only two projects involving generation of just 80 MW. Works on other projects have not been completed as yet. In such a dismal power situation, the State has to depend on power bought from outside the State.

Depicting the dismal picture of power scenario in the State before the Assembly on Tuesday on behalf of the Department of Power, State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Potowary said: “To meet the power demand, we purchase 1,200 MW from central power projects and four MW private power projects. We get 650 MW through exchange of energy in the open market.”

Patowary also said: “The APGCL has been working on some projects that are at various phases. They’re the 100-MW Namrup Replacement Project, the 70-MW Amguri Solar Project, the 50-MW Namrup Solar Project and the 120-MW Lower Kopili Hydel Project.”

On the number of power consumers in the State, Patowary said: “At present the State has 52.20 lakh domestic power consumers, 2.78 lakh commercial consumers, 21,000 industrial consumers, 1,190 consumers from tea, coffee and rubber industries and 92,000 other consumers.”

Replying to another question from MLA Bhubon Pegu, Patowary said: “According to the 2009 agreement signed with NHPC (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation), we’re supposed to get 25 MW power free of cost and 208 MW paid power from the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project in Arunachal Pradesh when it is completed. However, the agreement was revised in 2013 giving Assam an additional 300 MW of paid power. Thus, according to the latest agreement, Assam is to get a total of 533 MW power from the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project.”

On the damage-control measures in downstream Assam, Patowary said: “NHPC is undertaking projects worth Rs 145 crore for controlling damage in downstream Assam. The corporation is also going to spend another Rs 320 crore for developmental projects in downstream in Assam.”

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