GUWAHATI, May 18 � The Assam Power Projects Development Company Pvt Ltd (APPDCL), a joint venture company on Tuesday signed two small hydro power implementation agreements with two companies. The projects are to be implemented under the public private partnership (PPP) mode and commissioned by April 2012.
Pahumara small hydro power project of 2 MW will be implemented by Agnipa Energo Pvt Ltd in Baksa district and Bordikorai small hydro power project of 5 MW will be implemented by Brahmaputra Infrapower Pvt Ltd in Sonitpur district. Both the projects are irrigation canal-based power projects.
In view of the large power deficit, the Government of Assam is concentrating on improving its own generation capability with the thrust on developing small hydro power projects all over the State. Minister of Power and Industries Pradyut Bordoloi while asserting that the Government was committed to changing the power generation and supply scenario in the State, said that small hydro power projects would contribute in a big way to meet the deficit.
At present, the peak demand for power in the State is estimated at 1000 MW for which there is a substantial shortfall. The projected demand for power is expected to be 1600 MW by 2011-2012 and 2700 MW by 2014-2015. By the year 2019-2020, the demand is expected to go up to 3423 MW.
�As such, the Government of Assam is giving maximum thrust to improving its own generation capability to cater to the large power deficit,� said Bordoloi mentioning that small hydro power projects were feasible in Assam and such projects would not create social issues like displacement and rehabilitation.
Bordoloi said that the government was encouraging private investment in the power sector as it was not possible for the State to generate many projects on its own. He said in the last five years, there was a steady private investment in the power sector and the government was hopeful of more investment.
It needs to be mentioned here that the Champamati power project of 4 MW capacity in the district of Chirang implemented under the PPP mode is likely to be commissioned by July 2010. The APPDCL is taking up many such projects like Kalanga I and II of 8 MW in Karbi Anglong, Desang of 9 MW in Dibrugarh, and others.
Bordoloi said that a cluster of small projects would be implemented in the next four years which would amount to more than 250 MW.
