A power department employee is seen doing repair atop pole in Dimapur. (Morung File Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 21
A power deficit State, Nagaland relies on imports to meet 95% of its requirement during the lean season and 90% during monsoon, the NLA was informed on March 21.
Addressing the second day of the first session of 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA), Governor La Ganesan informed that the peak demand of the State is 180MW and the gap between demand and availability is always quite high particularly during the lean seasons, leading to prolonged load shedding and black-outs.
Accordingly, the State Government has decided to make power generation development a high priority area to achieve energy self-sufficiency and is undertaking a number of projects, he maintained.
Among others, it included Hydro Electric Power (HEP) projects under the Asian Development Bank (ADB) funding such as the 42MW Lower Tizu HEP and 24 MW Tizu Valley HEP.
Further, to provide stable power supply and strengthen the transmission system, the Department of Power has constructed substations in various parts of State, practically bringing all districts under Extra High Voltage (EHV) transmission network, the Governor added.
In this regard, a 132kV Foothill Highway Transmission System Build-up and Strengthening project with a total cost of Rs 389.8 crore is being taken up for funding from the ADB in the proposed Foothill highway area, he said.
The New and Renewable Resources Department successfully commissioned Tsutsung Small Hydro Power (SHP) of capacity 1MW at Longsa Village under Mokokchung last year and will be taking steps for injecting the energy generated from this project into the State-Grid, he added.
The Department expects to complete the 5MW Solar Power Plant at Hovukhu Village under Niuland district during 2023-24 and plans to convert 30 Government Offices having Off-Grid Solar Power Plants to Grid connection, the Governor said.
