Mizoram’s Chief Minister Pu Lalduhoma recently chaired a review meeting at his office on the 132 MW Tuivai Hydroelectric Power Project. The meeting was attended by the state’s Power Minister Pu F. Rodingliana and officials of the state’s Power & Electricity Department.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Tuivai Project has already been completed, and the project is now ready for tendering. Efforts are currently underway to implement the project under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
At present, Mizoram’s peak power demand stands at 182 MW. According to the 20th Electric Power Survey, the state’s peak power demand is projected to rise to around 213 MW by the year 2030. The state government currently has an installed power generation capacity of 50.20 MW, though actual generation remains considerably lower. As a result, only about 10% of the state’s total power requirement is generated within Mizoram.
The state spends approximately Rs. 64,954.45 lakh annually on power purchases, excluding transmission charges. In view of this, the government considers the expansion of local power generation capacity to be a matter of great importance.
The Tuivai Hydroelectric Project was initially surveyed by the Central Water Commission in 1992 with an estimated generation potential of 210 MW. However, as part of the proposed dam area would extend into Manipur State, the project was subsequently re-surveyed and redesigned. A revised Detailed Project Report has now been prepared for a 132 MW power generation capacity.
According to the DPR, the project is estimated to cost Rs. 2,289.50 crore and is targeted for completion within five years. The meeting also decided that the annual financial requirements for implementation of the project would be examined in consultation with the Finance Department.
Apart from the Tuivai Project, the meeting also reviewed the ongoing Tuirini Project and works being carried out under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).
