AGARTALA, March 4 - Tripura, a power surplus State, is all set to sell additional 60 MW power to neighbouring Bangladesh very shortly, said Power Minister Manik Dey.
Speaking to the media today, Dey said Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd (TSECL) has been selling 100 MW power to Bangladesh since last year based on the power generated from OTPC�s Palatana power plant in Udaipur. Now, 60 MW more power will be exported to Bangladesh from NEEPCO�s Manarchak power plant in Sepahijala district.
Although Manarchak power plant is producing 75 MW power for the past few months after ONGC started supplying gas to NEEPCO, formal inauguration of the power project is yet to be made. Dey said the Centre has already given a green signal to sell 60 MW power to Bangladesh. �If ONGC ensures supply of gas, 60 MW power will go to Bangladesh within shortest period of time and an agreement also is proposed to be signed�, he said.
NEEPCO CMD W Kharkonger, who arrived here on Friday, met the Power Minister and discussed various issues including power sale to Bangladesh. �Due to shortage of gas, production has been affected at Manarchak power plant. Currently, the plant is producing only 75 MW power against its installed capacity of 101 MW. We will talk to Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for stable supply of natural gas to Manarchak power plant�, he said.
Khakonger said NEEPCO has suffered a loss of Rs 218 crore by setting up the power plant at Manarchak because of non-availability of gas for long years.
On future plan of NEEPCO, the CMD said the regional power generation company has planned to increase generation to meet the internal demand of the Northeastern region. �Three new power plants with installed capacity of 770 MW will be coming up during next fiscal and all the plants are hydroelectric projects. One more hydro electric plant with installed capacity of 85 MW has been planned in Meghalaya�, he said.
