Rs.8,450cr Kameng Hydro Power Station will benefit National Grid
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has inaugurated Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar, and dedicated 600 MW Kameng Hydro Power Station to the nation on 19 Nov 2022.
The Rs.8,450 crore 600-MW Kameng Hydro Power Station is spread over more than 80 kilometres in West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh.
The 600-MW Kameng Hydro Power Station, the sixth North East plant commissioned, will be a major step towards fulfilling Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of the Indian Government pledged under Paris Agreement 2015. The project will form part of projected hydro capacity addition of 30,000 MW by 2030.
The Project has two dams and a powerhouse having 4 units of 150 MW to generate 3,353 million units of electricity
It was commissioned by NEEPCO Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC Ltd, progressively during June 2020 to February, 2021 despite all odds.
The project will make Arunachal Pradesh a power surplus state, and benefit the National Grid in terms of grid stability and integration.
This project will contribute in a major way towards the fulfilment of the country’s commitment to increase the adoption of green energy.
Meanwhile, the Donyi Polo Airport has been completed within a short span of time, despite the challenges faced during the pandemic. The Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone in Feb 2019.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister touched upon the changed work culture and has assured that “be it drone technology or Krishi UDAAN, be it airport connectivity or port connectivity, the government has prioritized development on North East”.
Modi gave examples of the longest bridge in India, the longest railroad bridge, rail line connectivity and record construction of highways to highlight the development carried out in the region.
“This is a new era of expectations and aspirations and today’s programme is a perfect example of the new approach of India,” he said.
“The Donyi Polo Airport is becoming a witness to the history and culture of Arunachal Pradesh,” Modi said.
Highlighting the infrastructural developments in Arunachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister gave the example of highway construction in remote and inaccessible areas and further added that the Central Government is going to spend another Rs.50,000 crore in the near future.
The new airport infrastructure will create huge opportunities in the field of cargo services. As a result, the farmers of the state can now sell their produce to bigger markets, he said.
The Rs.640 crore greenfield airport in Arunachal Pradesh is spread over 690 acres, with a 2,300 m runway. The airport terminal is a modern building, which promotes energy efficiency, renewable energy and the recycling of resources.
The development of a new Airport in Itanagar will not only improve connectivity in the region but will also act as a catalyst for the growth of trade and tourism, thus providing a boost to the economic development of the region, he said.
Airports in five North Eastern states, namely, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland have seen flights take off for the first time in 75 years.
Aircraft movement in the North-East has also witnessed an increase of 113% since 2014, from 852 per week in 2014 to 1817 per week in 2022. fiinews.com
