Agartala, April 19: The state government is leaning towards using solar energy to provide uninterrupted power service to TSR camps in remote areas of Tripura. With the help of renewable energy, there are initiatives being taken to provide a permanent solution to the long-standing problem of electricity services.
In this regard, Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath said that the electricity service in 11 TSR camps in Tripura will be powered by solar energy. Those camps are already being converted to run on solar energy. According to him, the central government has directed all the states of the country to give importance to the use of renewable energy. In this case, solar energy is considered as the only option. He claimed that Tripura government has already converted 11 TSR camps from traditional grid to solar power.
He added that the system will be introduced in more TSR camps with the cooperation of the Defense Department. He claimed that solar powered water pump machines have been installed in various areas of Tripura. Thus, it has been possible to solve the problem of drinking water for TSR jawans in hilly areas. According to him, most of the micro solar grids have been installed in Khowai and Dhalai districts.
He said that the Center wants 50 percent of the state’s electricity to be met through the use of solar energy. According to him, solar energy is very useful in reducing the cost of electricity. Various companies are meeting the electricity demand using solar powered energy generated by installing rooftop panels. Thereby, the cost of electricity is greatly reduced. Citing an example, he said, the National Institute of Technology has reduced the monthly electricity bill from around 10 lakhs to 5 lakhs by using solar power.
On this day, he also said that the Tripura government has taken initiative to provide free electricity service to various villages. In West Tripura, Sepahijala, South Tripura, North Tripura and Dhalai districts, electricity will be provided to the villagers through the use of solar power with the help of special projects. In that, about 7 thousand villagers will be benefited. He added that more villages will be brought under this project if the expected results are obtained.
Debbrata Shukla Das, Joint Director of Tripura Renewable Energy Development Agency (TREDA) said that experiments are underway to provide free electricity to poor villagers. In that project, solar power plants will be installed in villages and connected to the power grid. In this case the villagers have to bear the minimum cost of the cable electricity. Tripura government will bear the remaining 90 percent cost of solar power. According to him, per solar power plant will cost the Tripura government around Rs 1.25 crore.
