Agartala, July 09, 2024: At the conference of North Eastern Power Ministers held in Guwahati on Tuesday, Tripura’s Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath made a compelling appeal to the Central Government for increased cooperation in the state’s power sector reforms and infrastructure development.

Addressing Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Nath highlighted the financial strain caused by the rising cost of gas purchased from GAIL for power generation. “Until 2022, the gas price was $2.90 per MMBTU with a 40% subsidy for North Eastern states, effectively reducing the price to $1.74 per MMBTU,” Nath explained. “However, since 2022, the price has surged to $6.10 per MMBTU, and it currently stands at $6.50 per MMBTU. This increase is unsustainable for our state’s power generation.”

Nath urged both the Union Ministry of Power and the Union Petroleum Ministry to reconsider the current gas pricing structure, stressing its adverse impact on Tripura’s power sector.

The Power Minister also put forth a request to the Power Grid Corporation of India to include the Capacity Building & Infrastructure Support (CBIS) component in the North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP) for establishing a state-of-the-art training center in Tripura. The conference agreed to allocate special funds to Tripura and Nagaland for this purpose.

Further, Nath discussed the construction of a 400 KV substation in Suryamaninagar. “We have decided to build this substation, but we request the Union Ministry of Power to bear the entire cost,” he said.

Nath also sought central assistance for Tripura’s intra-state transmission requirements until 2030, estimating the cost at around ₹1000 crore. He advocated for the re-launch of the Power System Development Fund in North Eastern states, emphasizing its necessity for the region’s power sector stability.

Highlighting the National Hydro Power Corporation’s initiative to establish a pump storage project in Longtharai Valley subdivision, Nath stated, “The preparation of the Preliminary Feasibility Report (PFR) and Detailed Project Report (DPR) is underway. We urge the Union Power Minister to expedite this project, which has an 800 MW power generation capacity.”

Nath also raised concerns about the significant shortfall in gas supply from ONGC’s Tripura fields. “This shortage has severely impacted our state’s power generation, forcing us to purchase electricity from the open market at a higher cost to maintain supply,” he noted. “Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) is incurring substantial losses due to this issue.”

The Power Minister underscored Tripura’s dependence on central government and international financial assistance for power infrastructure development. “In recent years, we have received ₹2275 crore in financial aid for the power sector. An agreement with the Asian Development Bank aims to further strengthen our power distribution and improve project quality.”

Nath elaborated on the state’s renewable energy initiatives, including solar power projects under the PM-DEvine and PM-KUSUM schemes. “We are implementing microgrid solar power plants and solar street lighting systems. Additionally, we plan to install solar panels on government building rooftops to enhance our power supply.”

Nath concluded his address with a plea for continued central government support. “To achieve radical change in Tripura’s power management, we need the active cooperation of the central government. I am confident that Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, a visionary leader, will play a crucial role in ensuring continuous electricity service for the people of Tripura.”

The conference, held at a prestigious hotel in Guwahati, saw participation from power ministers of Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, and Nagaland, along with officials from various public sector undertakings and state representatives. Tripura’s delegation included State Power Secretary Abhishek Singh, TSECL Managing Director Biswajit Basu, GM TPTL Ranjan Debbarma, and other officials.