NERPC drops two suggestions due to Tripura Power minister's opposition: Official

Agartala, Jul 19 (PTI) The North Eastern Regional Power Committee (NERPC) has "dropped" the suggestion to increase gas price and purchase of extra power by the member states following opposition from Tripura Power minister Ratan Lal Nath, an official said on Saturday.

Nath opposed both the suggestions at the 29th NERPC meeting held in Guwahati on Friday.

During the technical session of the NERPC meeting held on Thursday, a representative from ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC) sought a hike in gas price because the per unit cost is going upward in the northeastern state (Tripura).

The OTPC runs a mega power plant in Tripura's Palatana.

"Our minister (Ratan Lal Nath) strongly opposed any hike in gas price, citing that it will have an adverse impact on lakhs of consumers not only in Tripura but also in the entire region. We can't support such a move that will cause extra burden for our consumers", Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd (TSECL), Managing Director (MD), Biswajit Bose told PTI over telephone.

He said an official from the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) asked the northeastern states to buy 13 per cent extra power from their demand, even if they don't need the electricity.

"The Power minister also strongly opposed the suggestion of the CERC, saying that the state will suffer economically further if it is implemented. Who will pay for the extra electricity? If the demand is accepted, ultimately, the consumers will suffer. I strongly opposed the move", Bose said.

He said the NERPC dropped both the proposals following logical statement by Tripura Power minister. The meeting was chaired by Meghalaya Power minister Abu Taher Mondal.

In the meeting, the minister (Ratan Lal Nath) also highlighted the state's development in the power sector over the past few years.

According to Bose, the minister mentioned the northeastern state has been producing 26 MW of solar power, while 45,000 solar street lights and 4,900 solar pumps have been made operational so far.

The northeastern state has also undertaken massive infrastructure development in the power sector with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), he said.

The MD added that the NHPC will set up an 800 MW pumped water storage power plant in the northeastern state. PTI PS RG