BTPS to be revived, 2 new thermal projects in offing

GUWAHATI: The Bongaigaon Thermal Power Station (BTPS), shut down since long, will be revamped and start production within next three years to ease the current power crisis in Assam.

A memorandum was signed between the Centre and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) last week to revive the BTPS, which will start producing 750 mw of power in three years time, Assam Power and Industry Minister Pradyut Bordoloi told a press conference on Wednesday.

Lamenting that Assam depended much on hydel power, which becomes scarce due to lack of rainfall for more than four months in a year, he said the re-elected Tarun Gogoi government would give priority to set up thermal power projects to ease the crisis.

With this in mind the state government had mooted to set up thermal power units at Tinsukia and Karimganj under public private partnership, for which tenders would be issued.

The power minister expressed the hope that within 10 years the state will be self sufficient in power due to the various projects undertaken by the government.