Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission , Government of Mizoram, India

No.H.11019/26/13-JERC

JOINT ELECTRICITY REGULATORY COMMISSION

FOR MANIPUR AND MIZORAM

AIZAWL : MIZORAM

TBL Bhawan, 2^nd – 5^th Floor, E-18, Peter’s Street, Khatla,

Aizawl, Mizoram – 796001, 0389- 2333625 (O)

0389- 2335523/2336299 (F), Website: www.jerc.mizoram.gov.in

Email: jerc.mm@gmail.com

Dated Aizawl, the 15^th January 2014

MINUTES OF THE 12^TH MEETING OF THE STATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE : MANIPUR

Venue : Conference Hall of Hotel Classic, Imphal

Date & Time : 16^th December, 2013 (Monday) 11:00 am

List of participants is appended.

Mr. A. Chhawnmawia IDES (Rtd.), Chairperson of the Commission and Chairman of the Committee presided over the 12^th Meeting of the Committee and Mr.N. Shyamsunder Singh, Member of the Commission was on the dais with him. After welcoming the Members, Chairman initiated item wise discussion of the Meeting.

Agenda I: Confirmation on the Minutes of the 11^th Meeting of the SAC of Manipur

held on 16^th September, 2013:

The Chairman explained the Minutes of the previous Meeting and after obtaining nod from the Members, the same was declared as confirmed.

Agenda II: 5 years of Regulatory Commission and the Power Sector:

The Chairman explained briefly the various steps taken by the Commission with regard to the power sector reforms in Manipur and stated that the Electricity Department is also being corporatised with a good intention to facilitate speedy power sector reforms within the State. He also highlighted that the Commission will take every possible steps for the further development of the sector. The Chairman then, requested the Chief Engineer (Power) to furnish a brief note on the changes made in the power sector over the past 5 years after the Regulatory Commission started functioning. The Chief Engineer, Power gave a brief report on the various actions taken by the Department as below:

Survey & Investigation of the Consumers:

Installation of 1,00,000 Optical Port 1-Ø Electronic Energy meter in Greater Imphal area along with the Survey and Investigation of the Consumers, is targeted for completion by March, 2014.
Similarity, installation of about 60,000 pre-paid meters in 13 towns under R-APDRP Scheme including system strengthening/replacement of conductors shall be completed by December, 2014.

Business Plan and Power Purchase Plan:

The unrestricted peak demand of the State during winter is around 180 MW whereas the availability from C.S allocation is around 80 MW and during off-peak when the demand crosses 130 MW; the availability is only 50 MW. The Demand supply gap is severe during winter. During monsoon the situation is manageable and the shortfall ranges from 20 – 40 MW from this project.

Moreover, in near future, the State will also get 43 MW from the Subansiri HEP (2000 MW), 14 MW from Kameng, HEP (600 MW) and all the generation including 12% free power from the Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric Project (66 MW) which will mitigate the future requirement of power by the State.

Plan for infrastructure:

For Transmission and Distribution system, the Department is taking up 8 (eight) Transmission schemes, 17 (seventeen) 33 KV schemes, 4 (four) 11 KV schemes, etc. under State Plan, SPA, NEC and NLCPR. Further, construction of new 33/11 KV sub-stations at 11 (eleven) locations are also taking up under RGGVY. Thus there is a plan for installation of additional transformation capacities of 119.5 MVA at the level of 132 KV and 33 KV system respectively. Line length is also proposed to be increased of 90 km of 132 KV and 389 km of 33 KV line.

Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana

For implementation of the scheme, the Government of India have so far sanctioned 9 (nine) schemes in the Districts of i) Chandel and Tamelong in the X Plan and ii) Senapati, Ukhrul, Churachandpur, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Imphal East and Imphal West in the XI Plan.

Electrification of 586 nos of un-electrified villages & de-electrified villages has been completed against 882 villages and 292 nos of habitation villages has also been completed against 496 habitation villages as on 15^th October, 2013 and 29658 BPL households have been electrified against 1,07510 BPL households as on 15.10.2013.

Hydel Generation:

The Loktak Downstream Hydro Electric Project (66 MW) is being taken up by Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric Corporation Limited (A Joint Venture of Govt. of Manipur and NHPC Limited.) Pre-qualification tender for Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) has been floated. Altogether six companies have submitted their bids which are under evaluation by an Evaluation Committee including representative of Govt. of Manipur.

He further gave a brief report of actions taken on Appointment of Assessing Officer, Setting up of Special Courts/Disposal of Theft Cases, Setting up of Internal Grievance Redressal (IGR) Cells/Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF), Compliance on Renewable Purchase Obligation and Prepaid meter under R-APDRP in 13 towns.

The Committee found the same rhetoric thing from the Department as before.

Initiating the discussion, Mr. S. Rishikumar Singh, President, All Manipur Enterpreneurs’ Association stated that the works being taken up by the Department is very encouraging, but feels that more is yet to be done and also he is of the opinion that more awareness is needed to be given out to the public on the actions taken up by the Department.

Mr. Elangbam Dolendra Singh, Advisor, All Manipur Power Consumer Associations also enquired when is the exact completion for installation of optical metres. Mr L.Priyo Kumar, Additional Chief Engineer replied that contract has been given to 3 (three) nos and that the work is to be completed within March, 2014.

Members were of the opinion that in the Survey and Investigation of Consumers, the Department has to take careful assessment of the consumers so as to get the exact annual demand and supply of power. Mr N.Shyamsunder Singh Member of the Commission further clarified that Survey and Investigation is required to be done in every 2 years so as to get the correct connected load and contract demand of the consumer.

Mr. Th. Saratkumar Singh, OSD CMSME representing Director, Industries Department informed the Committee that the Industry Department is setting up a Industrial Park in all the Districts and power will be required to run the Industries and enquired whether power will be a problem. In response to the query, Mr N. Sarat Singh, Chief Engineer (Power) replied that with proper arrangement of the Electricity Department, power could be given to the park.

Dr. (Mrs). M. Binota Devi, Associate Professor informed the Committee that the Internal Grievances Redressal Cell set up by the Department is not functioning and that they are getting power supply only for 2 – 4 hours a day. She further stated the telephone was never picked up by staff whenever consumers try to lodge complaints.

Dr. Ch. Ibohal Meitei, Professor stated AT & C loss may have been reduced but the actual calculation is required. Schemes should be initiated for minimizing loss of power and he further stated that corporatisation taken up but Department is a right step towards improvement. Dr. (Mrs). Lucy Jajo Shimray, Associate Professor also stated that load shedding should be done away with and that the Department should try to ensure 24 hours power supply and the Consumers are willing to pay the commensurate amount so long as they get quality and reliable power.

The Member JERC for M&M enquired about the progress of corporatisation being made so far by the Government. The Chief Engineer informed the Committee that corporatisation has been given consent by State Cabinet and it is proposed to have 2 (two) companies and at present, transfer of assets, liabilities, employees etc is being finalized. The full corporatisation of the Power Department is expected within a month or two.

Agenda III: Power Sector Management

On the Power Supply Management of Manipur, the Chairman requested the Chief Engineer to give a brief report on the steps taken by the Department. The Chief Engineer informed the Committee that the power supply in the State will be improved with the operation of Pallattana Project in Tripura where the State is allocated 21 MW. In this regard Industries Department has suggested that the Department should think for their own generation within the State and not depending on power from outside. Professor Ch. Ibohal Meitei also wanted to know how the Department could increase the availability of power. Members are of the opinion that advance information on load shedding should also be informed to the public.

Mr N. Shyamsunder Singh, Member of the Commission also informed the Department to look into the possibility of supply of power to the farmers for pumping water for agricultural purposes during drought season. The Chief Engineer replied that this will be looked into seriously. Mr. N. Shyamsunder Singh further commented that the next SAC Meeting will be on determination of Tariff and requested all the members to actively participate in both the meeting and the Public Hearing and expressed appreciation and satisfaction for the advice and valuable suggestions given by the Members on a number of issues of critical importance in the past.

Suggestions made by the Committee are:

The Department should carefully monitor the Survey and Investigation being taken up by it through the contractors so as to get the exact picture of consumers within the state early.
Installation of Metres should be done as per the scheduled target.
Strengthening of infrastructure development taken up to RGGVY also should be completed within the time line fixed.
The Department should inform the public regularly on the Internal Grievances Cell set up by them, through different media.

The Meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the Chair.

Sd/- A. CHHAWNMAWIA

Chairman,

State Advisory Committee Manipur

Memo No. H.11019/26/13-JERC : Dated Aizawl, the 15^th January, 2014

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