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Guwahati, May 5: The power situation in Assam has worsened, as the state is not being able to draw power from outside after two 400KV towers were damaged in a storm.
The towers at the 400KV double circuit Bongaigaon-New Jalpaiguri line, belonging to Power Grid, were damaged on May 3.
“We have been informed by North Eastern Regional Load Despatch Centre (NERLDC) that power inflow to the Northeast from the eastern region shall be drastically reduced because of damage of power towers,” a senior power department official said.
The centre is the apex body to ensure integrated operation of the power system in the Northeast. The official said this would lead to 450MW power shortfall in the state including curtailment of power through buying.
“Work is on to restore the line but it will take some time,” the official said, adding there is no other option than to resort to loadshedding.
Residents in Guwahati are complaining that there is so much loadshedding that generators have also stopped working.
Assam has been experiencing an average peak demand for power to the tune of 1,100 MW. This is more than twice the demand five years ago.
Assam is looking to step up power generation and there are three projects on which the state is heavily banking: the726.6MW Palatana power project in Tripura, 750MW NTPC project at Bongaigaon and the 2,000MW Lower Subansiri hydroelectric project.
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