SHILLONG:
With some localities still facing load shedding, state is hoping to overcome acute shortage of power if pumped hydro storage projects can be implemented, though the state is facing financial constraint and would require finances with low interest.
“If we are able to do it (pumped hydro storage project) then it will solve our power crisis because here we don’t allow the water to run down the river. The water is retained and this has been something like recycling,” Power minister A T Mondal told reporters while explaining about the project.
Stating that the state’s problem is finance, Mondal said that the project would require huge finance, and many states are after it (pumped hydro storage project), and are going in a big way.
He said that for four projects which is about 3100 megawatt, they would require huge investment.
“For 11,500 megawatts or 11.5 gigawatts of power projects in Arunachal, the investment is around Rs. 1.25 lakh crore,” Mondal cited an instance.
He informed that by the end of December when the pre-feasibility reports are fully ready for the four projects, it will be known exactly how much the financial implication is.
He said that for such a project, it requires two reservoirs.
“We can utilise the water to generate the energy through the same turbine which pumped the water up and down,” Mondal said.
