SHILLONG, April 20: The Power Department of Meghalaya today decided to scrap hydro-electric power projects of more than 600 MW proposed by companies for implementation, and this decision was taken in the meeting called by the Government with the companies to examine in detail which projects to be stopped and which are required to be moved forward.
Speaking with media persons, the Deputy Chief Minister who is also incharge of the Power Department, Prestone Tynsong informed that the projects which the Government has decided to scrap are Kynshi Hydro Electric Project- I which will generate 270 MW proposed by Athena Kynshi Power Pvt.Ltd, New Delhi, and the scrapping of this project comes after a thorough discussion because as per the findings of the company, it will be difficult to move ahead with this project as it covers areas which are rich in Uranium.
He said that for the Kynshi Hydro Electric Project-I, the decision has been taken to scrap the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), after the Ministry of Forest and Environment sent it’s recommendation to not follow through with it.
At the same time he said that the agreement signed in 2007 with JP Power Limited to implement the Kynshi Hydro Electric Project Phase- II which will generate 325 MW of power has also been scrapped after the company was no longer interested in moving ahead with the project.
On the other hand, Tynsong informed that the Wah Umïam Stage- III project agreement signed with NEEPCO in 2012 has been given a green signal to move forward and it will generate upto 85 MW of power, while for Umïam Stage- I of 100 MW and Stage-II of 50 MW, the MoA will be signed with NEEPCO soon so that the process for the project can start.
He also further informed that the Thermal Power Project which is in Garo Hills, the project has been given to NEEPCO for further movement, and for which an Environmental Clearance from the Ministry of Forest and Environment and the Ministry of Coal has been sought. Besides these projects, he also said that there are smaller projects for which the MoA will be signed.
As per the statement of Tynsong, these projects are not funded by the Government, but are projects that have been proposed for implementation and will be funded by private companies which the Government will have to buy at a reasonable price.
