Northeast & Sikkim to Get Massive Power Infrastructure Boost, Key Projects on Track

New Delhi: The Ministry of Power is working to boost the electricity infrastructure in the North-Eastern states and Sikkim to ensure reliable power supply to all consumers. Two very important projects are underway for this purpose.

The North-Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP) primarily focuses on increasing the intra-state transmission and distribution systems in six states: Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, and Nagaland. At a revised cost of Rs 6,700 crore, this project, if successful, will strengthen systems operating at 33 kV and above. According to an official statement as of December last year,progress has been made, with the lion’s share of the transformation capacity and transmission lines already completed.

The second initiative, the Comprehensive Scheme for Strengthening of Transmission and Distribution Systems in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, includes a revised investment of Rs 9,129.32 crore. This project targets the improvement of transmission and distribution networks in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. By increasing the transformation capacity and extending transmission lines, the aim, as the Ministry puts forth, is to fortify the power infrastructure in these regions. Most of the project has been finished as of December 2023, and further parts should be finished by December 2024.

These projects have the aim of increasing the connectivity of upcoming load centres with the national grid, which, as per the Power Ministry, will provide affordable and reliable 24x7 power supply to all consumers in the North-Eastern states and Sikkim. 

Further, the Ministry states that the efforts are vital for bridging the gap in power infrastructure and meeting the increasing demand for electricity in these regions.

Further, the official statement reads that, in terms of progress, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Manipur have seen the completion of elements under the NERPSIP. Similarly, in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, significant strides have been made, with a notable number of elements completed.

The Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy, RK Singh, highlighted these developments in a written reply to a question posed in the Rajya Sabha on February 6.