Dimapur | November 24 : The Nagaland Power Department has set two objectives to be achieved by the end of the 12th Plan: to meet the projected power requirement of 400 MW and achieve the national target of 1,000 units per capita consumption.
However, with the present power position of the state standing at a mere 128.72 MW and anticipated addition of another 101 MW during the 12th Plan, the challenge of filling the huge gap of nearly 200 MW between requirement and availability will prove to be a daunting one.
The objectives vis a vis the present power scenario in Nagaland were deliberated at length at the general conference of the Association of Power Engineers Nagaland (APEN) with the theme “Power for all-trends and challenges” held at Niathu Resort on Thursday.
Additional Chief Engineer (Power), Nagaland, Er. K Miachieo, in his power point presentation on the theme, said that Nagaland state with per capita consumption of around 250 units is much below the national average of 733 units in 2008-09.
On the state’s present power position, the additional CE said that out of the total 128 MW Nagaland is getting, 28.22 MW comes from various hydro projects in the state, while power allocations from the NE region and Eastern Grid are 80.5 MW and 20 MW respectively.
The additional CE said the anticipated power addition of 101 MW during 12th Plan will be sourced from Lang HEP (1 MW), Tehok HEP (1MW), Lower Tizu-Zungki (40 MW), Bongaigaon Thermal Plant (32 MW) and Pallatana Thermal Plant (27 MW).
Er. K Miachieo also said that though the department projected peak demand of 200 MW by the end of the 11th Plan, but due to lack of infrastructural requirements, it had fallen short at 110 MW.
Owing to dismal power supply, the technocrat admitted that the Power department was compelled to turn down applications for load sanction to many small scale industries, agro-horti based industries and other aspiring Industrialists especially in and around Dimapur.
The huge gap between purchase and sale of power (table below) has added to the woes of the department. The additional CE said that one main reason for this is due to high cost of purchase by overdrawal and higher purchase rate from generating stations during lean season as compared to selling rate to consumers in the state. (Average selling rate – Rs. 2.58/Unit)
Earlier, president APEN, Er. Khose Sale, in his presidential address also noted that “as a government utility our performance indicators are not encouraging with very high AT&C loss, huge revenue gap and poor quality of power supply.” Sale said some factors responsible for the gap between purchase and sale are “pricing of electricity much below cost of supply, uncontrollable theft and pilferage, organizational deficiency, inadequate manpower and financial resource.”
Er. Miachieo also highlighted some of key initiatives taken up by the department both in infrastructure and generation sectors to boost the state’s power position.
The conference also deliberated on other areas on concern including need for restructuring the Power department by “unbundling” into three entities - Generation, Transmission & Distribution.
“There is an urgent need for the state to have a Power Development Policy, put in place institutional and administrative reforms, restructuring of organizations set up, manpower planning and accord adequate resource allocation for infrastructure,” APEN president said in his address.
Chief engineer (Power), Er. D Basumatari, chief electrical inspector, Er. KT Wabang Ao, director, New & Renewable Energy department, Er. TS Angami and former CE (Power) TA Shishak also addressed the inaugural session.
However, with the present power position of the state standing at a mere 128.72 MW and anticipated addition of another 101 MW during the 12th Plan, the challenge of filling the huge gap of nearly 200 MW between requirement and availability will prove to be a daunting one.
The objectives vis a vis the present power scenario in Nagaland were deliberated at length at the general conference of the Association of Power Engineers Nagaland (APEN) with the theme “Power for all-trends and challenges” held at Niathu Resort on Thursday.
Additional Chief Engineer (Power), Nagaland, Er. K Miachieo, in his power point presentation on the theme, said that Nagaland state with per capita consumption of around 250 units is much below the national average of 733 units in 2008-09.
On the state’s present power position, the additional CE said that out of the total 128 MW Nagaland is getting, 28.22 MW comes from various hydro projects in the state, while power allocations from the NE region and Eastern Grid are 80.5 MW and 20 MW respectively.
The additional CE said the anticipated power addition of 101 MW during 12th Plan will be sourced from Lang HEP (1 MW), Tehok HEP (1MW), Lower Tizu-Zungki (40 MW), Bongaigaon Thermal Plant (32 MW) and Pallatana Thermal Plant (27 MW).
Er. K Miachieo also said that though the department projected peak demand of 200 MW by the end of the 11th Plan, but due to lack of infrastructural requirements, it had fallen short at 110 MW.
Owing to dismal power supply, the technocrat admitted that the Power department was compelled to turn down applications for load sanction to many small scale industries, agro-horti based industries and other aspiring Industrialists especially in and around Dimapur.
The huge gap between purchase and sale of power (table below) has added to the woes of the department. The additional CE said that one main reason for this is due to high cost of purchase by overdrawal and higher purchase rate from generating stations during lean season as compared to selling rate to consumers in the state. (Average selling rate – Rs. 2.58/Unit)
Earlier, president APEN, Er. Khose Sale, in his presidential address also noted that “as a government utility our performance indicators are not encouraging with very high AT&C loss, huge revenue gap and poor quality of power supply.” Sale said some factors responsible for the gap between purchase and sale are “pricing of electricity much below cost of supply, uncontrollable theft and pilferage, organizational deficiency, inadequate manpower and financial resource.”
Er. Miachieo also highlighted some of key initiatives taken up by the department both in infrastructure and generation sectors to boost the state’s power position.
The conference also deliberated on other areas on concern including need for restructuring the Power department by “unbundling” into three entities - Generation, Transmission & Distribution.
“There is an urgent need for the state to have a Power Development Policy, put in place institutional and administrative reforms, restructuring of organizations set up, manpower planning and accord adequate resource allocation for infrastructure,” APEN president said in his address.
Chief engineer (Power), Er. D Basumatari, chief electrical inspector, Er. KT Wabang Ao, director, New & Renewable Energy department, Er. TS Angami and former CE (Power) TA Shishak also addressed the inaugural session.
