By RINALINI PRASAD
North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd has approached the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs to approve its 60-mw Tuirial hydroelectric project in Aizawl district of Mizoram at a total revised cost of around 
914 crore, including interest during construction of 37 crore.
The project cost will comprise equity of 137 crore, loans of 185 crore from financial institutions, subordinate loan of 292 crore from Government of India, and grant of 300 crore from Department of North Eastern Region.
The project has suffered time and cost overrun with respect to the original sanctioned cost mainly due to law and order problems, change in design, and delay in tendering and awarding contracts.
Based on funding of the project, the power tariff works out to 3.75 per Kwh in the first year followed by a levelised tariff of 4.40 per Kwh.
Recommending the Tuirial project in June this year, the Project Investment Board directed NEEPCO to submit the proposal to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. However, the board asked the utility to obtain a commitment from the Mizoram government that there would be no law and order problem so that the hydel project could be completed within the revised completion schedule of three years from the date the CCEA approved it. Besides, all issues pertaining to rehabilitation and resettlement, including the demand for crop compensation, should be sorted out by the state government.
The Project Investment Board also asked NEEPCO to sign the power purchase agreement with the Mizoram government to purchase power from Tuirial at the tariff determined by CERC.
Background
The Tuirial hydroelectric project was initially taken up as a central sector scheme by NEEPCO and the project investment of around 369 crore was approved in July 1998. The project was to be financed with a debt-equity ratio of 85:15. The debt portion was to be financed by Japan International Cooperation Agency and the balance through equity from the Government of India. The project was to be completed eight years from the date of approval of investment.
However, work on the project stopped from June 2004 due to protests by the local people who demanded crop compensation on forest land. About 30 per cent of the project work and 95 per cent of design and engineering works before the project came to a standstill. Subsequently, in June 2009, the loan agreement with JICA was terminated.
In a survey by Central Electricity Authority, power demand in Mizoram has been projected at 115 mw in 2011-12. The allocation from all existing central sector stations to the state is about 51 mw while Mizoram has its own generation through the 22.92-mw Bairabi DG plant. The total hydropower potential is 2,196 mw against which no capacity has been developed so far, and Tuirial is the only major hydro project currently under development in Mizoram.
Project Profile
Project
Tuirial hydroelectric project
Capacity
60 mw (2x30)
Developer
North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd
Location
Aizawl district, Mizoram
Estimated Cost 
914 crore (revised)
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