Arunachal Pradesh signs pact with NEEPCO for development of two hydropower projects

Itanagar, Aug 14 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with an electricity utility company for development of two hydropower projects in the state.

The agreement with North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) has been inked for setting up a 90-megawatt project in Tawang and another 120 MW plant in West Kameng, an official statement by the chief minister’s office (CMO) here said.

The pact was signed by Hydro Power Commissioner P S Lokhande on behalf of the state government and NEEPCO Chief Managing Director V K Singh, in presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu and his deputy Chowna Mein, the statement maintained.

Speaking on the occasion, Khandu said the central public sector undertakings (CPSU) will be the harbinger of investments in Arunachal and appreciated the performance of NEEPCO in developing hydropower plants in the state.

Of the six projects allotted to NEEPCO, including the two for which the agreement was signed during the day, three have been commissioned – one in Kameng (600 MW), another in Ranganadi (405 MW) and the third in Pare (110 MW).

Khandu gave assurance that it would provide all support to the power utility firm.

He, however, rued that "the government has signed MoU and allotted hydro projects to several private developers and central public sector undertakings to harness hydro power. However, most of the private developers failed to implement the projects. The state has already started terminating MoA for dismal performance and so far 40 projects have been called off".

The deputy CM requested the power giant to commission the projects in a time-bound manner.

Mein said that the government is committed to developing self-sufficient hydropower plants, under the leadership of incumbent chief minister. PTI UPL RMS RMS