Notice

This is for information of the general public that the Energy and Power Department is undertaking a major refurbishment work [replacement of old 11kv control/relay panels] at 11kv sub-station, 5th Mile Tadong, so as to improve system reliability. On account of this, we will be compelled to switch off power supply on 23 July from 9 am to 5 pm in Tadong area, New Cantt, Lingding basti, Deorali, Syari, Panihouse and Namnang. All our valued consumers are therefore requested to kindly bear with us.

Executive Engineer, Maintenance, Energy and Power Deptt, Tadong.

Deptt proposes hike in electricity tariff

GANGTOK, 20 Jan: Consumers in Sikkim are in for another hike in electricity charges in the face of losses in the field of energy and power supply. Should the State Electricity Regulatory Commission approve the recommendation of the Power Department, the public will have to shell out more for each unit of electricity they consume.
The state government is suffering huge losses when it comes to transmission and distribution losses. In fact, as per the Power Department the estimated annual T&D and other losses of the state for 2013-14 have been projected at 55.87%. The net revenue requirement of the Power Department for 2012-13 was estimated at Rs. 297.84 crore; against this, revenue from tariff and sale of electricity [outside Sikkim] is estimated at Rs. 108.56 crore causing a shortfall of Rs. 189.28 crore.
For the year 2013-14, the projected net revenue requirement is at Rs. 336.81 crore; against this, the projected revenue is at Rs. 112.68 crore thereby resulting in a projected loss of Rs. 224.14 crore.
Faced with this shortfall, the Department has proposed to cover the revenue gap ‘partly’ through additional revenue from the proposed tariff revision. Domestic consumers are liable to face a hike of anywhere between 5 paise and 20 paise per unit depending on the amount of electricity they consume.
It has been proposed that per unit charge for upto 50 units be increased to Rs. 1.15 from the existing Rs. 1.10; for consumption between 51 to 100 units the proposed hike is to Rs. 2.35 from the existing Rs. 2.25; for consumption between 101 -200 units the proposed tariff is Rs.3.60 from Rs. 3.45; from 201 to 400 units it is proposed that the revised tariff be Rs. 4.35 per unit from the existing Rs. 4.15 and for above 401 units the new tariff proposed is Rs.4.60.
The rate of increase for commercial consumption is slightly higher ranging from 40 paise per unit to 50 paise per unit.
About a couple of years back there had been a hike in power tariff by the State government, but despite the hike the department has not met its revenue targets. In fact despite revenue from sale of electricity outside to other states estimated at Rs. 20.33 crore, the State government is suffering losses. The state itself does not have a large electricity consumption or requirement given its small population but apparently the Power Department has not been able to optimize its revenue potential or cut down on its T&D losses thereby putting the liability on the consumer.

Dept mourns loss of much-liked HoD

GANGTOK, 03 Jan: Personnel at the Power & Energy Department are in deep mourning, still in shock over the sudden demise of their Head of the Department, AK Giri, who passed away on Wednesday. Officials of the department convened a condolence meeting today and mourned the loss, it is informed. The late Mr. Giri, Power Department officials convey, was among the most able officers and a senior technocrat who commanded well earned respect from all. He was well liked in the Department and touched many lives with his compassion and humility through his years in service, his colleagues and juniors recall, stressing that his loss was being deeply felt by all in state administration and even more so by all in his Department.

ASESEUA condoles passing away of Power Secretary

GANGTOK, 02 Jan: The All Sikkim Educated Self Employed and Unemployed Association [ASESEUA] has condoled the sudden demise of Secretary, Energy & Power Department, AK Giri today.
“Our association on number of occasions had interacted with Late Mr Giri. He was a gentleman, a good human and one of the good technocrats of the State. his demise is certainly a great loss to the people of Sikkim”, states an ASESEUA press release.
On this sad day we are with the family members of Late Mr Giri in offering prayers to the departed soul, the release adds.

Under construction high tension tower collapses at Phongla, 16 labourers injured

NAMCHI, 26 Aug: In a major mishap reported in the Lower Phongla area, a high tension electricity tower of the Energy & Power Department being constructed by HPCL [Hythra Power Corporation Limited] collapsed injuring 16 labourers. One of the labourers was referred to Siliguri as his condition was critical.
The incident occurred at around noon today.
Immediately after the incident SP South Manoj Tiwari, Namchi SDPO DSP Gegee Norbu and PI Namchi, CB Basnett visited the spot. The cause of the accident, as per preliminary investigation sources inform, is suspected to be the use of substandard materials in the construction of the tower and also negligence on the part of the site in-charge. These, officials add, will however be established only after a more detailed enquiry into the case.
HPCL representatives however insist that the no compromises were made in quality and add that a clearer picture will emerge after experts investigate the reasons, which will include verification of the quality of materials used.
The entire tower collapsed and due to this another power distribution line was also affected and cut off by the falling tower. All the four pillars of the tower are bent, raising suspicions on the quality of materials used.
Meanwhile, after preliminary inquiry, a case was registered at Namchi Police Station today under sections 285/ 336/ 338/ 34 of the Indian Penal Code read with under section prevention of damaging public property Act against site in-charge, site engineer of HPCL and others.
The injured laborers are admitted at the District Hospital here.

State govt finally gets 15 % equity in Teesta Stage III; en route to get complete 26% equity as per MoU

TEESTA URJA AGREES TO 3 STATE GOVT OFFICIALS AS BOARD MEMBERS
GANGTOK, 26 July: The Energy and Power Department and Teesta Urja, the joint venture partner developing the 1200 MW Teesta Stage III at Chungthang, North Sikkim, are on course to settle their dispute and in the process, the state government has finally got its equity in the near Rs.6000 crore project. Not only has the Board of Directors of Teesta Urja agreed to the infusion of the state’s share of 26% equity into the project, which has been a matter of dispute for a long time now and also pending in two separate forums, but in a meeting held on 19 July, the Board also allowed for three state nominated officials to be part of the board with one of the nominated officials to be the Chairman of the board, as per the conditions laid down by the state government. 
The dispute between Teesta Urja and the state government has been on for some years now particularly over the infusion of the state’s share of 26% equity into the project as per the memorandum of understanding. The state government, till now, had not infused any equity into the project to lay claim on its share of equity. However, and as officials confirm, the state has now attained over 15% equity into the project and would soon acquire the remaining 11% of the total 26% equity. It has been informed that the Power Finance Corporation of India has sanctioned Rs.162 crores as the state’s equity into the Teesta Stage III project; this is out of the total amount of Rs.296 crores which the state government has to infuse in the project. The sanctioning authority being the Power Finance Corporation and the amount sanctioned as yet being Rs.162 crores, the state has now acquired over 15 % equity; the remaining amount is to be sanctioned soon, it is informed.
With the infusion of Rs.162 crores being made by the state government the Athena Projects Private Ltd (APPL), which has floated Teesta Urja, has approved the transfer of over 29 crore partly paid shares of the project to the government. In other words the state has paid share subscription of Rs.162 crores out of Rs.296 crores, this amount is equal to just over 15% equity of the total 26% equity due to the state.  In fact these shares have been approved for transfer to the Sikkim Power Investment Corporation Limited which is the vehicle floated by the government for equity infusion in the mega hydel projects in the state. This, as informed, is without prejudice to all the cases underway concerning the disputes between Teesta Urja and the Power Department.
Besides this the Board of Directors of Teesta Urja on 19 July agreed to one of the principal conditions of the state government, that of inducting 3 officials of the government in the Board with one of them to be Chairman of the Board. Two officials, namely the Power Secretary and Finance Secretary have already been nominated as state representatives in the Board and the third official is yet to be nominated. The state official who will be chairman of the Board will remain so till commercial operation of the project, it was decided at the meeting.

Work on 6 of 13 proposed Micro Hydel Projects to begin soon

ONE OF THE PROJECTS AWARDED TO COOPERATIVE SOCIETY; REMAINING 7 AWAIT FOREST AND OTHER CLEARANCE
GANGTOK, 17 June: Out of the 13 Micro Hydel Power Projects [MHPP] proposed by the Power & Energy Department for East and North districts, six have received all required clearances and work on them is scheduled to commence shortly. A micro hydel project is usually allotted to villages where the Grid supply or transmission is not possible, but electricity supply deemed necessary considering the population and requirement. Micro hydel is a type of hydroelectric power that typically produces up to 100 kW of electricity using the natural flow of water.
The MHPPs proposed by the Department for East and North Districts are: Bala MHPP with a capacity of 100 KW, Buthang- 100 KW, Lingtam- 100 KW, Lamaten- 100 KW, Kumrek- 100 KW, Bakcha- 100 KW, Phensong- 45 KW, Lingdem- 100 KW, Linza- 100 KW, B-9- 45 KW, Lower Dalapchand- 25 KW, Sawa- 100 KW and B-8- 40 KW.
Speaking to NOW!, the Power Department Secretary, AK Giri, informed that the total generation of power from the all the proposed micro hydel projects is 1,045 KW and the total cost of construction projected at Rs. 19 crore. Out of the total expenditure required, the Ministry of New and Renewal Energy will provide 70% while the North Eastern Council will fund Rs. 5 crore as gap-funding while the state’s share is about Rs. 4 crore.
The Forest clearance for six MHHPs of the 13 proposed projects has been received and the works have already been awarded. Out of the 13 MHHPs, the one of Lower Dalapchand has been awarded to a cooperative society. After completion, the project would be handed over to the local NGOs or Panchayats to operate and maintain the same, added the Secretary.
The six MHHPs ready to commence work after availing all necessary clearances are Bakcha, Phensong, Lingdem, Linza, B-9 and B-8 and the remaining seven MHHPs, mostly in East District are yet to get the forest clearance along with other necessary clearances.
The concept of carrying out mass MHPPs is to make Sikkim the first model state in micro power generation across the nation, the Secretary informs. Such micro hydel projects are mostly located in the North Eastern part of the country and if the projects planned turn out to be successful, then the model will be initiated in the other two districts of the state as well, it was further informed.

Ex-gratia released to wife of lineman killed in line of duty

GANGTOK, 29 April [IPR]: Late Deepak Tamang, who was working as a Line Man in the Energy & Power Department, Government of Sikkim had died due to electrocution on the night of 19 April 2012 when he was trying to disconnect the power line that was damaged due to the heavy rains and a fallen tree. Since the death was due to a natural calamity, the District Collectorate, East released Rs. 1.5 lakh to the deceased’s wife Meena Tamang on 23 April, as per the Natural Calamity [NC] norms

Singtam public rues over disrupted power supply

GANGTOK, 23 Feb: The people of Shantinagar in Singtam have expressed their dissatisfaction over the irregular power supply for the past 6 months.  Power supply in the area is disrupted every 20 to 25 minutes which is posing a problem for students preparing for their upcoming examination, complained the public. The people have also expressed that even after making several complaints to the Power Department the problem remains.
Power officials clarified that the transformer and LT lines in Singtam, set up around 20 years ago according to the requirements of the time, have become old and get heated up resulting in disrupted supply at short intervals. The Power Office at Topa has already processed the file for the same to the head office at Gangtok, officials informed.
It is learnt that as per the present population of Shantinagar, an additional 150 KB sub-station is required and 11 KB line in 400 meters is needed for regular power supply. [from NANDU DUTRAJ]

Villages in Namthang Rateypani to be provided with electricity

GANGTOK, 15 Feb: Several villages in South District are all set to set to be electrified by the Power Department.
Lower Pamphok (Suntaley) village under Namthang Rateypani Constituency in South Sikkim has been sanctioned Rs.24.75 lakhs by the state cabinet for the purpose of electrification of the village. Another couple of villages under Namthang Rateypani constituency namely Jogidara and Samardung village have been sanctioned a total amount of Rs.34.38 lakhs for electrification of both the villages. The proposals for electrification of the villages were put by the Power department and subsequently got approved by the state cabinet. Works are expected to begin soon now that the funds have been sanctioned.
The cabinet also approved and sanctioned Rs.30.38 lakhs for installation of 25 KVA Sub-Station and electrification of left out Houses" at Rakshey village under Tumin- Lingee constituency in East Sikkim.

NHPC signs MoU with State Govt to set up ITI in North Sikkim

GANGTOK, 08 Jan: NHPC Limited today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State’s Energy and Power Department, for establishing an ITI at Chandey, Mangan, North Sikkim, informs a press release. The State Government was represented by Principal Chief Engineer–cum-Secretary, Energy and Power Department, AK Giri whereas NHPC was represented by Executive Director, Siliguri, Dhiman Parija.

Sikkim RTI Forum accuses SPDC of favoring hydel developers at the cost of State Exchequer

GANGTOK, 05 Jan: The Sikkim RTI Forum today alleged financial irregularity at the Energy & Power Department in the management of hydel projects. The group, at a press conference held here today, claimed that the State Exchequer has lost around Rs 2.72 crore because the Sikkim Power Department Corporation failed to raise the license processing fees due from the private hydel project developers.