The government of Manipur has signed pre-implementation agreements for four hydroelectric projects in Manipur with North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO) today.The first project is Tuivai Electric Project, 3X17 MW at Delkhai Thanlon, in Churachandpur District about 230 Km from Imphal. An earthen dam of 110 metres high will be constructed across Tuivai River under the project. It will have three numbers of Francis turbines of 17 MW each and cost estimate of the project will be 325.06 crores.The second project is Irang Hydroelectric Project 4X15 MW at Taobam Tamenglong District about 100 Km away from Imphal. An earthen dam of 104 metres high will be constructed across Irang River for the project. It will have four numbers of Francis turbines of 15 MW each and cost estimate of the project will be 331.20 crores.The third project is Khongnem Chakha Hydroelectric Project 2X33.50 MW at Maram centre Senapati District about 90 km away from Imphal. A concrete Gravity Dam of 52 metres high will be constructed across Barak River. It will have two numbers of Francis turbines of 33.50 MW each and cost estimate of the project will be 439.71crores.And the fourth project is Pabram Hydroelectric Project 2X95 MW at Phellong Village under Tamenglong district about 160 Km away from Imphal. Here too a concrete gravity dam of 122 metres high will be constructed across Barak River. It will have two numbers of Francis turbines of 92MW each and cost estimate of the project will be 1031.67 crores.The pre-implementation agreement for the four project was signed between Th Kirankumar Joint Secretary Power, A Sarant MD, MSPCL representing Manipur government and PC Pankaj CMD, S Borgohai Director Personnel NEEPCO representing the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd in the presence of the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.In the occasion Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi said that Manipur has been suffering from acute shortage of power for quite some time because of various reasons like insufficient supply, demand gap, insufficient inter and intra transmission and Distribution network and lack of generation sector.He further said that the state is facing frequent load shedding. In fact this poor power scenario has been one of the main obstacles to the development of the state. The state government in its effort to improve the power sector, after a details study decided very recently to restructure the state electricity department into two utilities as Manipur State Power company limited (MSPCL) to look after the transmission and distribution of 33 KV voltage level and above and upcoming generations. Another one is Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited (MSPDCL) to look after the distribution system of 11 KV and down and associated works.Ibobi said that to develop the power sector the state government has adopted a state hydro power policy in 2012 to facilitate development of hydro power project having capacity more than 5 MW and above through private and public sector development in the state.He appealed the NEEPCO to work smoothly without taking much time to complete. As the state government will extends any support in law and order problem or in the forest clearance while the project is under construction. This is the first time that NEEPCO has is going to start work in Manipur.He appealed the people of Manipur to give co-operation in the state project taken up in the state in the power sector.PC Pankaj Chairman and Managing Director NEEPCO assured the state government and people of Manipur to complete projects within the time schedule. As usual, preparation of DPR of various projects takes maximum three years but for these specific projects DPR will be completed in 15 months and the whole project is being targeted to complete in five years from now. The NEEPCO will also take up wind power plan generation in Manipur and will provide proper toilet facility to the nearby school besides providing scholarship to the poor student residing in the vicinity of the project site.The Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam said that Manipur state has 4500 MW power production potential but our state needed only 150 MW.“Our state has two huge potential in Tourism and the Power sector for generating resource. If we extract and utilise these potentiality then the state might get huge income by selling power to the neighbours”, said Gaikhangam.He further said that The signing of these PIAs is one step to the development of state for mobilization of resource for the state.
