New power projects to meet demand by 2012

New power projects to meet demand by 2012

By R Dutta Choudhury GUWAHATI, June 24 – The power requirement in Assam will climb to at least 2,000 MW by the year 2012 and keeping this in mind, the State Government has taken up several new power projects, mostly joint ventures, to meet the requirement and to reduce the dependence on power procured from different other agencies. This was disclosed by the Power Minister, Pradyut Bordoloi.Talking to The Assam Tribune here today, Bordoloi revealed that the peak period demand of power in the state at present is around 900 MW, but this is a suppressed demand as the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) and its subsidiary companies have not been able to provide power to the consumers as per requirement. He said that with industrial development and taking up of rural electrification scheme, the power requirement is increasing with every passing day and it is high time the state takes up new power projects on war footing to meet the requirement.Bordoloi revealed that the State Government has been demanding Assam should get all the power to be produced in the 750 MW thermal power project being set up by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in Bongaigaon. The State Government is monitoring the progress of setting up of the project and two units of the project are likely to be commissioned by the year 2011. The NTPC will use coal from the coalfields of Upper Assam in the project. Efforts are on to revive the 60 MW Chandrapur thermal power project, which was closed down in 1999 following sharp increase of the price of furnace oil. The project is now being converted into a coal-based project.The pre-feasibility report of 200 MW Amguri power project is ready and for the setting up of the same, the State Government would have to generate funds, if necessary by taking loans. On the other hand, a 38-MW waste heat project at Lakwa is likely to be commissioned by the end of this year. As many as 100 locations in different parts of Assam have been identified for setting up of small hydropower projects and 12 projects with total installed capacity of 120 MW are coming up in different parts of the state. Investors from different parts of the country are showing keenness on investing in small hydropower projects, said Bordoloi. Giving a detailed account of the other major projects on the pipeline, Bordoloi said that a report on the 150-MW Lower Kopili project has been sent to the National Water Commission for its approval and the Government is planning to implement the project as a joint venture with private participation. He said that talks are going on between the ASEB, BHEL and the Power Trading Corporation for the implementation of a 250-MW thermal power project at Badarpur in Cachar district, but the final MoU is yet to be signed. On the other hand, discussions are on with the NEEPCO, NTPC and the Assam Power Generation Company for setting up of a 480 MW thermal power project at Borgolai. The State Government is negotiating with the Oil India Limited to install small gas turbines in the oil fields to generate at least 50 MW of power, while, two small projects having capacity to generate 10 MW of power each are coming up at Jagiroad and Mirza. At the same time, the old machines of the Namrup Thermal Power project are being replaced to enhance power generation in the project.Bordoloi admitted that over the years, the experience of Assam in setting up of power projects was not very encouraging as the Karbi Langpi project took more than 20 years to complete. He asserted that the Government wants the projects in the pipeline to be completed by the year 2012 to meet the requirement of the state and to reduce the dependence on others. He also said that specific targets would be given to the ASEB and other companies, which come forward to implement new power projects to ensure that the experience of Karbi Langpi project is not repeated. Source: assamtribune

Pradyut denies role in missing couple’s case

Responding to insinuations in a section of the media seeking to link him with the disappearance of a couple from Margherita, State Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi said that contrary to it, he had done his best to help track the duo. He even favoured a CBI probe in this connection. In a press conference today the minister revealing his concern and apprehension over the missing persons, stated he had been in constant touch with the police after Prasanna Turung and his wife Kamai Turung went missing in April 2007. Close on the heels of their sudden disappearance he had written a letter to the Tinsukia SP and sent a copy of that communication to the Director General of Police. This year he also wrote to the Chief Minister in his personal capacity. In his letter to the Chief Minister, dated June 5, 2008, he stated, “I would request you to kindly consider handing over the case either to the CID or to the CBI as you deem fit.”Referring to the case of the missing couple, Bordoloi mentioned that he had known Prasanna Turung, as he was a candidate from Margherita on several elections in the recent past. In 2006 Turung had represented the NCP while contesting the Assembly polls. Therefore, after he and his wife went missing on April 8, 2007, and FIRs filed, he also contacted the police requesting a sustained investigation.In due course the police made a special squad to put a trace on the missing couple. Subsequently, two persons – Komu and Apu – were arrested from Siliguri by the West Bengal Police. They also spent some time in custody before they were let out on bail. Bordoloi scotched rumours that he could be in anyway linked to the disappearance of the Turungs, saying, “My culture and ethos would never allow me to spite or harm any one who could be a political rival. Besides, that would not be in the spirit of my party under the leadership of Tarun Gogoi.”He went on to say that it was difficult to describe Prasanna Turung as his political rival because although the former had contested elections on several occasions, he had polled votes in the range of 150 to 2,000. Bordoloi, on the other hand, had won the last elections with a margin of around 60,000 votes.Interestingly, the minister hinted at a possible NSCN link to the case. Prasanna Turung’s wife belonged to the Tangsa tribe and had roots in Changlang, and some family members suspected people close the NSCN active in that part of Arunachal Pradesh could be involved in the mysterious disappearance. Source: assam tribune