Arunachal deputy chief minister calls for collective efforts to improve power sector in North East

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Saturday called for collective efforts to ensure a promising and sustainable future for the power industry in the northeast region. Mein, who is the chairman of the North Eastern Regional Power Committee (NERPC), chaired the 25th meeting of the panel in Kolkata.
He underscored the need for proactive measures, such as the installation of surge arresters and the reconductoring of transmission lines to high-temperature-low-sag (HTLS) ones, an official communique said.
A surge arrester is a protective device for limiting voltage on equipment.
Mein, during the meeting, announced the finalisation of the Guwahati Islanding Scheme, planned by NERPC under the Ministry of Power's directive.
'Islanding Scheme' is a defence mechanism for the power distribution system.
He urged the stakeholders to expedite the implementation of the scheme and explore the feasibility of similar projects for other state capitals in the region.
Addressing the challenges in commissioning hydro projects, Mein encouraged developers to adopt innovative and environment-friendly designs, aligning with India's non-fossil energy capacity targets.
He commended Arunachal Pradesh for signing MoUs with NHPC, SIVN and NEEPCO for the development of 12 hydro projects.
Recognising the unique challenges of the region, including geographical constraints and adverse weather conditions, Mein affirmed the NERPC forum's pivotal role in solving problems collectively.
He highlighted the revamped distribution sector schemes (RDSS) aimed at reducing aggregate technical & commercial (AT&C) losses and urged distribution companies and state governments to prioritise settling outstanding bills for sustainable business operations.
The deputy chief minister also initiated the formation of a power ministers' forum for North East for effective persuasion of issues in the sector, the communique said.
The discussions in the meeting resulted in crucial decisions aimed at advancing the growth of the power sector in the North East, ensuring a consistent electricity supply and enhancing the standard of living for residents, it added.