Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 22 2010:
Taking into account huge loss of electricity in transmission and distribution, the Ministry of Power has given approval to a new project of laying power cables underground for distribution to 14 towns of Manipur valley including Imphal.
During the recent meeting held at New Delhi on March 17 during which plan size of the State for the next fiscal was finalised, the Planning Commission instructed the State Government officials to reduce loss of power during transmission and distribution which now stands incredulously high at 72 per cent, conveyed an official source.
The Planning Commission's instruction came as a big embarrassment to the State officials.
Nevertheless, the State officials assured that transmission and distribution loss would be reduced to 50 per cent by the end of the next fiscal year.
All India average of power loss during transmission and distribution is 33 per cent.
Even as consumers are not paying power taxes regularly, the State Government has been paying Rs 10.10 crores every month for purchasing power from agencies after the necessary amount was earmarked in the annual budget.
With a view to improve power transmission and distribution system, the Ministry of Power has approved implementation of the Revised Accelerated Power Reforms and Development Programme in the State, informed the source.
Once the programme is implemented, 14 towns of Manipur valley including Imphal would be supplied power through underground cables.
The State Govt has been proposing to incorporate Jiribam and Moreh under the programme.
It is expected that the new programme would be able to check unauthorised connections.
Under the new programme, transformers compatible to the power demands of different localities would be installed in each and every locality covered by the programme.
A card system would also be introduced to ease tax collection.
For the proposed 400 KV powerline that would connect Silchar to Imphal, the power sub-station would be at Yurembam.
It would be difficult to find another site for the sub-station, conveyed the official.
Meanwhile, it is reported that all the stakeholders of Tipaimukh Project have broadly agreed to the points of the Memorandum of Understanding.
The Tipaimukh Multipurpose Hydro Power Project of capacity 1500 MW is a joint venture of NHPC, Sutlej Jal Vidyoot Nigam Limited and the State Government.
The three parties are all set to sign an MoU.
They are only awaiting consent of the Ministry of Power, added the source.