The North-Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP), a major Centrally-sponsored programme covering the northeast states, except Arunachal Pradesh, is expected to be fully commissioned by end of 2024, according to a latest government report.
The Rs.6,700-crore project that was originally envisaged for completion in December 2018 has missed its deadlines on several occasions, and is now expected to be fully complete only by December 2024.
Of the total 446 project elements, 433 were completed as of end-March 2024 and the remaining 13 will be commissioned in the remaining part of 2024.
The programme envisages 194 new transmission and distribution lines, spanning a total of 3,252 ckm. Besides, new transformation (substation) capacity of 5,848.64 MVA is being created through 118 new substations and augmentation of 134 existing substations. The transmission infrastructure (lines and substations) are spread across the voltage ranges 220kV, 132kV, 66kV and 33kV.
As of March 31, 2024, the programme was fully commissioned with respect to Meghalaya. The unfinished 13 elements are spread across the remaining project domain – Assam (1), Manipur (3), Nagaland (2), Mizoram (1) and Tripura (6).
The elusive Tuensang substation
Most of these unfinished elements are expected to commission by June 2024, except for the 132kV Tuensang substation extension project in Nagaland that is likely to commission only by December 2024, signifying the final completion of NERPSIP.
The Tuensang substation extension project was originally to be done by the Nagaland state government (Department of Power) but due to paucity of funds, it was transferred to NERPSIP. Work could not commence due to space constraints and due to reluctance of vendors in the bidding process, in turn due to limited scope of work, and that too in hostile geographical conditions. The tender was finally awarded only in August 2023 and the project is scheduled for completion in December 2024.
Arunachal Pradesh
It may be mentioned that Arunachal Pradesh is out of the purview of NERSIP as intrastate network upgrade in this state is being taken up another Centrally-funded scheme “Comprehensive Scheme of Transmission & Distribution System in Arunachal Pradesh & Sikkim.”
NERPSIP: A Background
In December 2014, the Union government approved the North-Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP) with Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) as the implementing agency. The sanctioned cost was Rs.5,111.33 crore (at February 2014 level) was revised to Rs.6,700 crore in December 2020. NERPSIP is being funded on 50:50 basis by Government of India and World Bank. The project aims at strengthening the power T&D infrastructure in six northeastern states – Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura – across 220kV, 132kV, 66kV and 33kV voltage levels. As of March 31, 2024, a total of Rs.4,873.99 crore was spent on NERPSIP.
Featured photograph (source: Dimapur Today) is for representation only
