Addressing media here today he informed a HDVC link had been established to connect Bangladesh with West Bengal but the northeast region needed another HDVC link for power trading with neighbouring country, as power generation in northeast would be double in next five years.
He also announced to enhance the power production up to 6000 MW from the region by 12th five year plan and added total investment would be Rs 25000 Cr, which had generated 5092 million units of power in 2010-11, about 60 percent of the total energy requirement of the region.
''We currently have an installed capacity of 1130 MW, which is about 49 percent in the region,'' Mr Pankaj said adding that NEEPCO had planned to undertake 240 MW capacity Killing hydro-electric project in Assam-Meghalaya border, 85 MW capacity Mawphu hydro-electric project, 150 MW lower Kopili hydro-electric project, 500 MW Garo Hills coal based power project.
He however, maintained that NEEPCO would pursue to take-over 1,500 MW capacity Tipaimukh hydro-electric project in Manipur and claimed that they were equipped enough to commission the project within four years, if they were given the task.
''Considering the potential of gas in Tripura, I am personally holding dialogues with ONGC and GAIL for allocating at least 0.5 million cubic meters of gas per day for us so that we can go for doubling the capacity (200MW) of Monarchak gas based power project in Tripura and Chief Minister Manik Sarkar assured to help NEEPCO in this regard,'' Pankaj pointed out.