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Arunachal Pradesh, often described as the future powerhouse of the country with an estimated 58,000 megawatts (MW) of hydropower generation potential, has been facing an acute power crisis for the past two- and-a-half month.
With the sources of rivers rapidly drying up, directly impacting generation in the entire North-East, Arunachal Pradesh is also suffering from a supply shortfall.
The situation has been compounded by a large number of fires being reported in the State this year, forcing consumers, particularly students, to reach for conventional energy sources such as kerosene and candles.
The hilly State receives between 84 MW and 34 MW during peak and non-peak hours, respectively, against a peak-hour demand of 130 MW.
Supply issues
The supply schedule goes haywire with a fluctuating supply from the N-E Grid. It varies from 44 MW to 84 MW during peak hours and between 34 and 44 MW during non-peak hours, that too, including the State’s share of 22 to 24 MW, according to State Load Dispatch Centre (SLDC) Executive Engineer T. Mize.
The demand for power has been on an upswing with a number of massive development projects being executed in the State. Small and medium industries are also being set up in large numbers.
Criss-crossed by numerous perennial rivers, the State houses the largest hydro project in the North-East — the 405 MW Ranganadi hydroelectric project (105 MW x 3 units) of the North East Electrical Power Corporation at Papum Pare district.
“Two units are functioning mostly as per the schedule given by the NE LDC according to power requirements of the State and availability of water,” head of the Rangnadi project Samarjit Chakravarty said, adding “as of now we are producing 230 MW.”
Mostly two units are run during winter as well, as the water level goes down, he says.
The construction of one of the largest hydropower projects in India — the 2,000 MW Lower Subansiri hydroelectric project at Gerukamukh — has met with anti-dam protests in neighbouring Assam led by the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, although 75 per cent work is complete.
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