Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) chairman Subhas Chandra Das said proposals for coal linkage to run the 500 MW pithead coal-based power plant at Margherita is pending with the coal ministry since 2009 while the proposal for allocation of gas to run the gas-based 150 MW plant at Amguri is pending with Gas Authority of India Limited for almost a decade.
"The clearance for the 150 MW lower Kopili hydel project proposal was not given by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) as it wants a detailed seismic study to be done before the clearance is given," Das said.
According to Das, the peak period demand in the state at present is 1,150 MW while the state's own generation is 240 MW. "Since there has been less rainfall this monsoon, the 100 MW Karbi Langpi project has also generated only 40 MW out of 100 MW," he added.
The state is forced to buy power from various sources as there is a huge gap between the demand and supply of power in the state. The board has to purchase power at costly prices to meet the power shortage.
The state's power demand of 580 MW in the peak period has doubled in the last 10 years while the state's generation has increased only marginally from 180 MW to 377 MW during the same period.
The state is, at present, buying power from sources within the northeast, eastern grid, independent power producers (IPP), power exchange entities and through bilateral agreements.
The board is pinning it hopes on the upcoming 750 MW coal-based thermal power station at Bongaigaon. The state government submitted proposals for coal linkages from northeastern coalfields and eastern coalfields as well as gas allocation in its memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his last visit here in April.