However, the actual construction of the Rs 9.88 crore project commenced in 2004. Commercial distribution through the 1.5 MW project was started in 2010. Dedicating 1.5 MW hydel project to the people of Meghalaya, Dr Sangma stressed on the need to increase power generation in order to bring down the electricity charges.
The revival of the British-era project, which was abandoned in 1982, started in 2001. However, the actual construction of the Rs 9.88 crore project commenced in 2004.
Commercial distribution through the 1.5 MW project was started in 2010. Besides being one of the three oldest power projects in the country, the project was also an opportunity for the Meghalaya government to commission a power project in the state after over 30 years.
The genesis of the project was sowed through a report in 1908 prepared by J.W. Meares, which pointed out that Shillong was one of the “worst lit” hill stations, though it was the Summer Capital of the New Province (Eastern Bengal and Assam).
Based on the Meares report, the Sonapani Mini Hydel Electric Project, as it is now called, was constructed and commissioned in 1922 by the Shillong Hydro Electric Supply Company Pvt. Ltd. which was owned by former West Bengal chief minister B.C. Roy. The project, as commissioned in 1922, consisted of two weirs, one on the Umkhrah river and the other on the Umshyrpi river.
The waters from these two weirs were carried by open channels to the forebay at a distance of 632 metres and 1145 metres, respectively.
However, the erstwhile Meghalaya State Electricity Board (MeSEB), now known as Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL), had planned to revive the project in 2001 and the government started the work in 2004. The project was completed in 2009 and the commissioning of the revived scheme was done in 2010.
The total cost of the project was Rs 9.88 crore, out of which, Rs 6.75 crore was funded by the Union ministry of new and renewable energy. “Our requirements (power) can be met through renewable energy resources and by leaving aside all those sources of power dependent on the fossil fuels which contribute towards global warming,” Dr Sangma said.
Stating that it was imperative to invest more in the power sector, Sangma cautioned the people not to “misunderstand” the intentions of the government. “The intention of the government when it wants to invest more on power projects should not be misunderstood. The misunderstanding might have happened because of lack of clarity,” Dr Sangma said.
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