The State cabinet today approved the Meghalaya Power Policy 2024, in an effort to facilitate investment and further streamline power generation.
Speaking to media persons after the cabinet meeting, Power Minister Abu Taher Mondal informed that in the new policy, the provision for pumped storage projects has been included in its scope.
“Our earlier policy does not have provision for pumped storage projects. We have changed the criteria for solar energy as per the requirement of purchase obligation,” Mondal said.
The power minister informed that pumped storage is a new thing in the power industry and therefore this provision was brought into the new power policy.
He also said that the Meghalaya Power Policy 2024 is for all types of power projects – hydel, thermal, solar and other green initiatives like hydrogen.
Mondal also said that the power policy will also give incentives to power producers to come to the State and invest.
According to him, for the last 15 years the State has not seen any power projects coming up except for Ganol Hydro Project and Riangdo Hydro Project.
He informed that the State has the Umiam Power Project Stage I (36 MW), Umiam Power Project Stage II (20 MW), Umiam Power Project Stage III (60 MW), Umiam Power Project Stage IV (40 MW), New Umtru Power Project (40 MW), Leshka Power Project (126 MW), Ganol Power Project (22.5 MW) and two small power projects – Sonapani (1.5 MW) and Lakroh (1.5 MW).
Sanjay Goyal, Chairman & Managing Director, Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited said that hydro power projects have long gestation periods since it requires a lot of environmental clearances.
“We for ourselves have set up some targets. In terms of hydro power project, the additional capacity we have kept is a target of 300 MW in the next eight to ten years. Part of it we are targeting through the second phase of Myntdu-Leshka project. Its detailed project reports are almost towards the finalisation and through this policy we now aim to find out a prospective partner, if the State government is not taking it on its own,” Goyal said.
He said that this policy gives the flexibility to the State government to get partners on joint ventures either with the Central PSU or any private player who gives the best deal as per the norms of this policy.
Goyal informed that under the pumped storage, the feasibility studies have already started even as he said that MeECL is waiting for the policy to be approved by the cabinet so that the basins and locations can be allocated for their development.
“The target we have kept is at a conservative 2000 MW. But I am sure that the kind of feasibility which is coming up now by the Central PSUs may go up,” he added.
On thermal power projects, Goyal said that the government is looking to tap around 250 MW.
“But the major issue here as of today would be the allocation of coal so that the developers are sure that it is available at the negotiated prices for the next 25-30 years which is normally the life cycle of the project,” he said.
On solar energy, Goyal said that the government is looking to tap around 50 MW to 100 MW and on wind energy the State has a potential of around 80 MW.
