SHILLONG, May 25 ? National Hydro-electric Power Corporation Ltd (NHPC) has got outstanding dues of nearly Rs 100 crore upto April this year against seven north eastern states ? beneficiaries of the Loktak Hydel Project - with Manipur topping the list, according to the North Eastern Regional Electricity Board (NEREB), reports PTI.
The outstanding dues included the principal amount surcharge on it, development surcharge, according to a NEREB statement released at its 52nd board meeting here last week. While Manipur topped the list with an accumulated outstanding amount of Rs 43.82 crore, it was followed by Nagaland with over Rs 12.89 crore outstanding, Assam?s over Rs 11.88 crore and Tripura?s over Rs 10.49 crore. Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya did have outstanding dues to the tune of over Rs 10.50 crore, Rs 6.04 crore and Rs 3.52 crore respectively, the NEREB statement said.
The bill was made for energy supplied upto March and payment received till April this year. However, the surcharge and surcharge on development were billed upto February 2003, it said. The bill was made for energy supplied upto March and payment received till April this year. However, the surcharge and surcharge on development were billed upto February 2003, it said.
Saying that only Assam as on date has opened a Letter of Credit for Rs 70 lakh per month, the NEREB meeting here requested the other beneficiaries to open LC for payment of current energy bills for Loktak power in line with the scheme of one-time settlement of state electricity boards? dues as directed by the Union Power Ministry.
Loktak Hydel Project, located in Manipur with three units of 35 mw each, was commissioned in 1983-84 and is in operation for the past 19 years.
Although each unit when operated in isolation was able to generate their rated output, when run together, the total generation was limited to 90 MW against the rated capacity of 105 mw. Therefore renovation and modernisation of power station was proposed to be carried out by the NHPC. The statement said, based on a study carried out for restoring the original capacity of the power house, an expenditure of Rs 24.50 crore was to be incurred.
The Central Electrical Authority has also included renovation and modernisation of the Loktak power station to be completed during the 10th Plan. It also vetted the estimates. The funds required for carrying out the renovation and modernisation of Loktak power station would be met from budgetary support as equity to be provided by the central government. The Board requested all the beneficiaries to give their consent for the above so that the NHPC could approach the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission for fixing the revised tariff.