Saturday, October 1, 2011

Power Deptt suffers Rs. 261 crore loss to earthquake

SUPPLY RESUMED FOR SHIPGYER, 5 KVA GENERATORS BEING ACQUIRED FOR LACHEN AND LACHUNG
REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS UNDERWAY FULL SWING, SECY ASSURES

GANGTOK, 29 Sept: Power projects in the State have suffered a massive setback and monetary loss in the hands of the hands 18 September Earthquake. With the epicenter of the 6.9 tremor reported to be in north Sikkim, it is projects in this region which have suffered extensive damage. The Power Department has estimated damage to state-owned power projects to the tune of Rs. 261 crore, out of which, the State’s power projects in North Sikkim alone have suffered damages estimated at Rs. 100 crore.
Secretary, Energy & Power Department, AK Giri, informs that efforts were underway to restore power lines on a war-footing especially power generation at Lachen Stage-II which supplies power to the region.
On the other hand, officials of Teesta Urja stated that they were still collating damage reports; a technical team had been dispatched to Chungthang to assess the damage suffered at the 1,200 MW Teesta Stage III.
Company officials refused to put even an approximate figure on the scale of damage, stating that it was only after the assessment report came in that they would be in a position to say how long it would now take for the project to reach its stage of commissioning. However officials informed that the project had been pushed back by at least a year.
As for the State-owned projects, all four hydel projects in North Sikkim have suffered major damages with power generation suspended.
These projects include the 3 MW Lachen Stage 2, the 200 KW Lachung power house and the 3 MW Rabom Chu which is situated above Chungthang. The 4 MW Meyong Chu near Singhik is also damaged.
The damaged components of these projects include the power houses, water conductors, pipes and transmission towers and supply lines. Further details of damages will come through once the Department officials are able to assess the projects and the power houses.
The Secretary has also directed the engineers to get all necessary equipment such as generators, gas-cutters etc lifted to north Sikkim. These are scheduled to reach their destinations by Friday, it is informed.
For Chungthang, the department has acquired weather-proof wires and generator sets which are attempting to restore power supply there.
Meanwhile, engineers of the Department, who were among the first to reach Chungthang once helicopter sorties landed there, have improvised and fashioned adequate street lighting and lights for the relief camps powered by generators sourced from the hydel project sites.
In other parts of the state, the 66 KV line at Melli Dara is reported to have been damaged along with numerous 11 KV lines Low Tension distribution lines in different regions.
Despite this, power supply has been restored to most places in the South, West and East districts except for some interior locations, stated the Secretary.
In North district, power supply has been restored to Shipgyer and efforts are on to restore supply to other parts in the interior of Dzongu.
Arrangements have also been made to get 5 KVA generator sets from Kolkata for Lachen and Lachung.



 

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