Agartala, Nov 25 (NationPress) The Power Minister of Tripura, Ratan Lal Nath, announced on Tuesday that the state has achieved an impressive average of 23 hours and 49 minutes of daily electricity supply, securing the fourth position nationwide in power availability.

According to the Minister, electricity is provided for 23 hours and 43 minutes in rural areas and 23 hours and 59 minutes in urban centers.

“Before the BJP administration took charge in 2018, the state received only around 21 hours of power daily; now it's 23 hours and 49 minutes as per the National Feeder Monitoring System (NFMS) report from the Government of India,” he stated.

Nath, who also oversees Agriculture, informed the media that for over seven and a half years, the Power Department has been dedicated to delivering consistent and high-quality electricity to Tripura's residents.

He elaborated on the various initiatives undertaken to achieve this goal, following his participation in the bhumi pujan ceremony for the Rukhiya 120 MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Project.

This gas-based thermal facility in Rukhia, located in the Sepahijala district, was constructed in six phases between 1990 and 2006. Currently, it comprises nine Open Cycle (OC) Gas Turbine Generator Sets, situated 60 km south of Agartala.

“These units are considered abandoned since their operational period has lapsed, ceasing production intermittently between 2002 and 2013,” Nath explained.

The remaining three units generate 21 MW each, leading to a total capacity of 63 MW; however, due to inadequate natural gas supply, only 19 MW is currently produced.

The Minister also announced that with financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the 63 MW open-cycle gas turbine will be upgraded to a 120 MW combined cycle gas turbine.

This upgrade will enhance electricity generation utilizing excess gas. The existing open-cycle gas turbine operates at 35 to 45 percent efficiency, while the combined cycle system will improve efficiency to 60 percent by utilizing hot gas to power a steam turbine.

The total cost for the combined cycle gas turbine project is estimated at Rs 1,320 crore, with completion expected within the next three years. Additionally, 13,435 kilometers of Aerial Bunched Cable (AB Cable) have been installed to combat power theft in rural regions, a significant increase from the previous 198 kilometers.

Furthermore, in collaboration with state-owned NHPC, the possibility of constructing an 800 MW pumped storage project at Chawmanu in Dhalai district is being investigated.

“If realized, this project will be the first of its kind in the Northeast, significantly boosting the state's economic development,” the Minister remarked.

He concluded by sharing that 46.49 percent of consumers are now settling their electricity bills regularly, up from 42.28 percent, indicating a positive trend.