Arunachal terminates 44 MoAs with private power developers: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein

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NAMSAI: The Arunachal Pradesh government has terminated 44 memoranda of agreements (MoAs) with various private power developers as they "showed less interest" in executing projects allotted to them, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said here on Sunday. Interacting with reporters here, Mein, who also holds the Power portfolio, informed that the projects that have been withdrawn from private developers would be handed over to central public sector understandings (CPSUs), and accordingly, fresh MoAs would be signed soon. The projects have an installed capacity of 32,415 megawatts, he said. "MoAs for nine projects with an installed capacity of 1300 megawatts have already been signed, and for the rest, they will be initiated soon," Mein said. Mein said the terminated projects were offered to central public sector undertakings (CPSUs), considering their performance and reliability. The state government had so far inked 153 MoAs with various CPSUs and Independent Power Producers (IPPs) for hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 46,943 megawatts, he said, adding that the MoAs were signed in accordance with the hydropower policies of the Centre and the state government. "After the allotments, progress in many projects could not be achieved due to various reasons. Despite serving several notices to the private developers concerned, they were not inclined to execute the projects, for which 44 MoAs have been terminated," Mein said. Of the terminated projects, the Nafra (120 MW) and New Melling (90 MW) projects were handed over to North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd., and Amulin (420 MW), Emini (500 MW), and Mihundon (400 MW) to Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (SJVN) for "unlocking these projects, which were stuck for various reasons", he said. "The state government is regularly pursuing the matter of hydropower development with the Centre, and as a result, the central government, in its recent decision, prepared an indicative list of 29 projects," Mein said.

The Centre has identified these projects for due diligence, and analysis was conducted by CPSUs National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), SJVN, NEEPCO, and Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd. (THDC) before recommending the valuation of each project for approval. Responding to media queries, the deputy chief minister said the 2000-MW Lower Subansiri project is in the advanced stage of completion, and two units, combining 500 MW, are expected to be commissioned during this year. "The whole project will be commissioned in 2024, providing the state government with 240 MW of free power," Mein said.

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