Power scenario

Power scenario

Power shortage and erratic power supply continue to be a major deterrent for the State’s development process. With the demand for power set for a substantial increase in the days to come, the State Government should explore means of meeting the requirement effectively. While a number of new projects are on the anvil, as stated by Power Minister Pradyut Bardoloi, the exercise is likely to a take a while and in the meantime the authorities would do well to plug the loopholes in the functioning of the ASEB. The faulty transmission and distribution (T&D) network that often aggravates the power situation needs urgent streamlining. It is regrettable that Assam still figures among the worst performing States as far as T&D loss is concerned. On the generation front, Assam continues to be a deficit State, which, at present, is not in a position to meet the peak hour demand of just 900 MW. The deficit is sought to be met by procuring power from other sources – something never done successfully as corroborated by the deteriorating power scenario. With the exception of Guwahati to an extent, the power situation in all other parts of the State beggars description.Notwithstanding the implementation of the much-hyped power reforms for the past three years, the situation has hardly looked bright for the harrowed consumer. While it is understandable that it would take some time for all the benefits of the reforms to reach the consumer, some positive changes should have been perceptible by now. Given the abysmal power scenario, the authorities should look at different options for meeting the shortfall in supply. It has been estimated that the State’s power requirement would be around 2,000 MW by the next three years. Unless we boost our power generation, it would be next to impossible to meet our power needs from other agencies. Conventional power projects apart, small hydro-electric projects offer good scope of generating enough power to meet local needs. With environmentalists increasingly questioning the rationale behind the proposed mega dams in the fragile upper reaches of the Brahmaputra basin, generation of power from small and medium hydel projects merits serious consideration. In a positive development, as many as hundred locations across the State have been identified for small hydel projects and 12 such ventures with a total installed capacity of 120 MW are expected to function shortly. These projects have a much shorter gestation period compared to others, and it is encouraging that investors from different parts of the country are expressing interest in small hydropower projects. Given the remote areas of the State not connected by conventional grid, it is time we utilised the available renewable energy sources. Source: assam tribune