World Bank loan for Tripura project

The World Bank will provide the major share of a Rs 8,150-crore project to create infrastructure in the power sector for six northeastern states, sources in the Tripura State Electricity Supply Corporation Limited said here today.

The state-owned Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd will implement the World Bank-aided projects in the six states.

“The PGCIL last year signed agreements with Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura to implement the North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project,” an official of the state electricity supply corporation said. “The World Bank will provide a major portion of the project as a loan. Under this project, power transmission lines, transmission sub-stations and related will be completed in a phased manner.”

“The PGCIL, a Navaratna power transmission company, will also provide technical and managerial support for inter-state transmission and distribution systems,” a senior TSECL official said.

Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar, accompanied by the power minister Manik Dey, reviewed the power sector projects in the state.

The official said the Centre recently decided to implement a Smart Grid Projects (SGP) in 14 cities across the country on a pilot basis at a cost of Rs 200 crore. The 14 cities include Agartala, the only city in the northeastern region, where it will be executed.

The SGP will be a digital technology that allows for two-way communication between the utility and its customers, and monitoring of transmission lines for efficient use of electricity.