Department of Power Nagaland (DoPN) has informed that due to low generation from the hydro power stations and the resultant reduced power allocation to the State, the department was compelled to impose loadshedding throughout the State.
In a press release, chief engineer (T&G) Er. Penrithung Yanthan informed that presently the State’s power availability was around 147 MW out of a peak demand of 180 MW (60MW during 1990s).
The department also informed that the state-owned Likimro Hydro Electric Project has been generating around 6-12 MW only out of its installed capacity of 24 MW for approximately 12 hours a day due to poor hydrological condition during this season.
Due to extreme weather conditions during the last few days, the department said there has been rise in the power demand resulting in burning of distribution transformers due to overloading especially in Dimapur and adjoining areas.
The department stated that the responsible electrical divisions were making every effort to restore/replace the damaged transformers on war footing.
Further, the department expressed regret that one of the units of Palatana Thermal Power stationin Tripura from where Nagaland gets maximum allocation, was under shutdown from June 2, 2023 for annual maintenance aggravating the state’s power shortage situation.
However, in order to tide over the power shortage, the department said it was making an arrangement to purchase additional power at a higher cost as a short-term measure during this crisis.
As loadshedding is inevitable, the department said it was regulating the loadshedding on rotational basis among the three load centres of the state—Dimapur, Kohima and Mokokchung.
“Unfortunately, we anticipate that this power shortage and load shedding crises shall repeat every year,” the department stated.
Pointing out that Nagaland was 90% dependent upon import of power, the department said the only long-term solution was for a concerted and prioritized effort to reduce dependency up to the extent possible by developing State’s own internal Hydro power generation, which the department at present was facing some difficulties to overcome.
The department stated that domestic loads were increasing day by day due to rise in installations and usage of high power consuming electrical appliances like Air conditioners, Refrigerators, water boilers and rice cookers etc.
Therefore, the department has appealed to consumers for judicious use of electricity by switching off appliances when not in use. The department expressed hope that judicious use would help reduce the domestic load consumption to a large extent and would contribute immensely in reducing the duration and quantum of loadshedding.
Meanwhile, the department assured that the power situation would improve with the onset of monsoon and appealed to the general public to bear with the inconveniences caused due to the power instability.
