Tripura’s Power Minister, Ratan Lal Nath today, announced plans to explore power exports from Tripura to Nepal, with the final decision resting with the central government.
The announcement came during a meeting in New Delhi.
The Minister shared the update after inaugurating the 132 KV Gokulnagar Sub-Station under the NER Power System Improvement Project at the Gokulnagar Rastarmatha Sports Ground. The sub-station, constructed at a cost of Rs 43.98 crore, aims to provide uninterrupted and quality power.
The project will benefit around 48,740 families in areas including Bishalgarh, Office Tilla, Central Jail, Gola Ghati, Madhupur, Sekerkot, Fultali, Bikramnagar, and Kamalasagar.
“In Tripura, we primarily produce power from gas, which is gradually depleting. When our government came into office, there were 7.21 lakh power consumers, which has now increased to 10.38 lakh. With modernization, power demand continues to rise, and our government is committed to advancing infrastructure accordingly,” Nath said.
He highlighted the state’s progress in power infrastructure over the last seven years:
132 KV sub-stations increased from 12 to 21, with 2 more under construction.
132 KV transmission lines expanded from 485 km to 986 km, with an additional 102 circuit km in progress.
33 KV sub-stations grew from 44 to 75, with 18 more under development.
Underground cabling increased from 95 km to 571 km.
Due to reduced gas supply, the Rokhia plant’s output has dropped from the planned 63 MW to 19 MW. “To address this, the World Bank is funding Rs 935 crore to enhance power generation through combined cycle gas turbine technology at Rokhia. We are also planning an 800 MW pump storage project in Chawmanu and a 400 KV sub-station in Suryamani Nagar, as we already supply power to Bangladesh. Rooftop solar will cover all government offices. The potential export of power to Nepal is under discussion, and the central government will make the final call,” Nath added.
The event was attended by Sabhadhipati Supriya Das Datta, MLA Antara Sarkar Deb, Bishalgarh Panchayat Samiti Chairperson Atashi Das, TPTL GM Ranjan Debbarma, and other officials.
