Sinlung /
10 January 2013

Load shedding to remain in power-starved Mizoram

Aizawl, Jan 10 : With the rising demand for power, load shedding is unlikely to leave the power-starved Mizoram even as the chief minister and his parliamentary secretary have endorsed privatisation of power distribution for better power.

Parliamentary secretary for power Lal Thanhawla, who flanked the chief minister at a press conference here today, disclosed the peak hour demand of power in Mizoram has risen to 107 MW as the number of electric consumers in the state are now more than 1.7 lakhs.

"With 68 MW we are receiving from the Mizoram central projects and 18 MW the state generates, we are 21 MW short of our demand. In this situation, load shedding is inevitable," Lal Thanzara said. At present, Mizoram has hydel projects that can produce 29 MW of the state's total potential for about 5000 MW.
"During the last two years, the Mizoram government has taken up hydro projects to be able to generate a total of 2400 MW of electricity," he said.

Of these projects, the 210 MW Tuivai hydro electric project is being taken up under PPP mode with viability gap funding from the finance ministry. "It is under state sector and the first of its kind in India," he said.

He also informed the entire 60 MW of power produced by the under construction Tuirial hydel project will go to Mizoram. Even as the Joint Electricity Regulation Commission (JERC)for the states of Manipur and Mizoram is conducting a series of public hearings on the Delhi-based Eternity Partners' application for intra-state trading license in Mizoram, both Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who holds the power portfolio, and his parliamentary secretary, endorsed privatisation of power distribution as recommended by the Electricity Act, 2003.

"The application for trading license is under consideration. The government is not supposed to be deterred by oppositions by some sections of the public," Lal Thanhawla said, referring to opposition by some organisations during the public hearing on Tuesday. Sources said the Eternity Partners has offered to sell power at much lower than Rs 3.6 per unit which is the present tariff of the state power & electricity department.

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