Mein pushes for power transmission line between Arunachal, Bhutan

Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Monday urged the North Eastern Regional Power Committee (NERPC) to carry out a feasibility study for the establishment of a 132 kv transmission line between Lumla in Tawang district of the state and 600 mw Kholongchu Hydro-Electric Power Station in Bhutan.

Attending the 22nd meeting of NERPC at Guwahati in Assam, Mein, who also holds the power portfolio, urged it to formulate a policy as per norms associated with international exchange of power.

The Kholongchu power station in Bhutan is about 40 km aerially from Lumla in Tawang, Mein said.

He also urged the members of the regional committee to support this idea as it will improve the reliability of the grids of the two countries, besides meeting the demand -- which is a huge concern as the upcoming 132 kv transmission line from Khuppi to Tawang would pass through the snow-clad Sela Pass.

Mein said that Arunachal Pradesh needs more inter-connections with the North Eastern Regional Grid.

The deputy chief minister also expressed his gratitude to the Union Power Ministry and NERPC for approving two inter-connection projects -- Chapakhowa-Roing 132 kv line and Kathalguri-Namsai 220 kv DC line.

He urged the Power Grid Corporation to find ways to complete the restoration of Pasighat-Roing 132 kv transmission line which was damaged along the Dotung river bank in Lower Dibang Valley in April 2020.

Mein said that the construction of 2,000 mw Subansiri Lower Hydro-Electric Project resumed in October 2019 by National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) and two of its unit with a capacity of 500 mw would become operational by August this year.

The deputy chief minister also urged the NHPC to ensure the completion of the entire project by August 2023 as per the schedule.

The meeting chaired by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who is the chairman of NERPC, was attended by power ministers from the Northeastern states, power generation and distribution companies, and senior officers of the power departments of the region.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)