Agartala, Sep 21 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar Tuesday commissioned a 21 MW gas-based power project in Tripura, which is expected to ease the electricity shortage in three northeastern states of Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.
The Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) has executed the project at a cost of Rs.80 crore with the financial assistance from the North Eastern Council (NEC).
Sarkar urged the centre to reduce the price of natural gas being used in various power projects of the region.
‘The power ministers of the seven northeastern states met Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora in New Delhi recently and told them that unless the government reduces the gas price, the people of the northeast would be burdened with heavy electricity tariff,’ said Sarkar.
‘Over 48 percent of the total electricity is generated from the gas-based power projects in the northeastern region,’ Tripura Power Minister Manik Dey said.
According to Dey, the petroleum and natural gas ministry recently hiked the price of natural gas from Rs.2,112 to Rs.5,152 per 1,000 standard cubic metre (SCM) inclusive of 10 percent royalty and 12.5 percent Value Added Tax (VAT).
‘The 116 percent hike of natural gas automatically would raise the power tariff,’ Dey said.
