After supplying to Bangladesh, Tripura sells 40 MW power to Nepal
News Desk:
After supplying power to neighbouring Bangladesh, Tripura, which is a power-surplus state, is now selling 40 MW power to Nepal.
Addressing reporters, Tripura deputy chief minister Jishnu Dev Varma, who also holds the power portfolio, said after selling 190 MW power to Bangladesh, Tripura has been selling 40 MW power to Nepal since April this year.
“We are supplying 190 MW power to Bangladesh from our surplus power. We have now started to sell 40 MW power to Nepal. Let’s see if we can increase the sale quantum in the coming days,” he said.
Tripura is a 100% electrified and power-surplus state. The state generates 115 MW of power from three small gas thermal power projects – 110 MW from Gomuti Hydro-electric Project, Baramura Gas Thermal Power Station and Rokhia Gas Thermal Power Station; and 5.85 MW from diesel-based generating units.
The hydro-electric power plant is, however, suffering from shortage of water and can’t produce more than half of its installed capacity for more than half of the year.
Among Central power plants operational in Tripura are a 726 MW thermal power plant run by ONGC Tripura Power Company, a 130 MW thermal power plant at Ramchandranagar in West Tripura district and 100 MW power plant at Manarchak in Sepahijala district.
Dev Varma said Tripura currently needs around 300 MW power on a daily basis for domestic consumption.
In order to expand power services across the state, the incumbent BJP-IPFT government has provided 1.36 lakh new connections under Saubhagya scheme during the last one-and-a-half years. He said his department is trying to develop power transmission infrastructure by changing old lines and cut down on ATC loss.
The state government has also recently launched a new scheme called ‘Apnar Dorgoray’ (At Your Doorstep) to provide uninterrupted power services to its consumers.
However, despite being a power-surplus state, Tripura is frequently suffering from power cuts and blackouts. Asked about the issue, Dev Varma clarified that no power is being sold outside Tripura by creating problems for domestic consumers.
Tripura State Electricity Development Corporation Limited (TSECL) CMD MS Kele said power cuts are mostly caused due to disrupted transmission lines during rains, storm, lightning and old infrastructure induced problems.