There will be no load shedding, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced, after the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Ltd (MeECL) took measures to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
Meghalaya, unusually for the state, had to undergo weeks of power cuts despite the good monsoon it has experienced so far. The load shedding was necessitated because of the non-functionality of four units, which left a shortfall of 110 MW. In addition, Meghalaya was contracted to provide power to other states as part of ‘electricity banking’ deals it had made.
Two units, one from OTPC (the ONGC Tripura Power Company) and one from NEEPCO are back online. Any remaining shortfall in demand will be covered by new ‘banking’ arrangements.
The power crisis in Meghalaya drew criticism from various sections of society. The timing of the power cuts differed from location to location but were of several hours’ duration daily.
