Meghalaya to get 2 hydro power projects; NEEPCO bags contract

The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) would be executing two hydel power projects in power-starved Meghalaya, Power Minister James K Sangma said Wednesday. At a cabinet meeting held on Tuesday evening, it was decided that the two projects would be given to NEEPCO, Sangma said.

The two power projects are Umja-ut Hydro Electric Power project with a capacity of 69MW (renamed as Wah Umiam Stage I) and Umduna Hydro Power Project of 57 MW (also renamed as Wah Umiam Stage II). The cabinet has approved the allotment of both these projects to NEEPCO which is already implementing stage III Wah Umiam power project, he said.

Sangma further said that the cabinet has also approved a proposal by the state-owned Meghalaya Electric Corporation Ltd (MeECL) to avail a loan from the Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd to execute the 3x42 MW Myntdu Leshka Hydro power project. The state power department has an outstanding of over Rs 550 crore to be paid to NEEPCO alone forcing the state power department to resort to load shedding since January this year.

(With inputs from agencies.)