Tripura to purchase 105 Megwatt for Durga Puja, to launch more nine power substations

Agartala: Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath said on Monday that the state government will purchase 105 megawatts of power at a cost of Rs 2 crore and will soon inaugurate nine new substations before Diwali to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

In an interview with Business North East, Minister Nath stated that the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) has undertaken various initiatives to provide continuous power supply. “Due to Durga Puja, around 95% of the work has been completed, with only a few tasks remaining, which will be finished soon. We have eight power circles in the state, and to provide uninterrupted power, maintenance work—including cleaning wires, restoration, and changing transformers—is almost over 95%. We are also upgrading transformers or reinforcing areas where power is overloaded. We have 475 transformers in stock. During Puja, all power subdivisions will have electricity 24/7,” he said.

Nath also informed that all officials’ leave has been canceled during Durga Puja. He mentioned that the power department will allocate Rs 25 lakh to reward all 4,294 employees, including General Managers, Assistant General Managers, senior officials, LDCs, contractual staff, linemen, security guards, etc., for their outstanding work during the flood. “The highest amount will be Rs 1,700, while the lowest will be Rs 400, as all TSECL officials have worked tirelessly during the flood,” he said.

He also noted that last year, the power demand during Durga Puja reached 311.3 megawatts, with around 436.1 megawatts supplied from Bangladesh. This year, the expected power demand is 390 megawatts, and to meet this, 105 megawatts will need to be purchased, costing Rs 2 crore. The power will be sourced from Palatana OTPC and Mizoram.

Additionally, the minister mentioned that an Rs 1,800 crore project funded by the World Bank is underway to set up nine power substations. “These nine substations, including 132 kV and 33 kV, will be established across the state, and we plan to inaugurate all of them before Diwali,” he added.