Early end to Assam power crisis unlikely

By Our Special Correspondent

GUWAHATI, OCT. 8. An early end to the long hours of power cuts in Assam is unlikely. It is more a gap between demand and handling capacity of the transmission and transportation (T & T) system than one between demand and supply. The gap is likely to go up to 100 MW by 2002.

This was stated by Mr. Reazul Hussain, chairman of the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB), at a press meet here today.

He said the power demand now is 578 MW, while the availability is 568 MW, including the ASEB's own generation of 120 MW. But the maximum handling capacity of the T & T system is 540 MW only. To increase the capacity, 12 new sub-stations and/or high voltage transmission lines for bulk handling of power will have to be built and this will take time.

The ASEB is also trying to augment generation of its gas-based Lakwa unit by another 45 to 50 MW. Another 50 MW will be available when the first unit of the Ranganadi hydel power station is commissioned, hopefully by the year-end.

Mr. Hussain admitted that with a workforce of 18,000 plus, the ASEB is hugely overstaffed. Now, posts vacated by retirement are not being filled up. This will bring down the number of employees to around 12,000 over the next four to five years.

As this will be a very slow process, it has been decided to engage a professional consultancy firm to undertake a manpower study.

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Section  : Other States
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