Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh said if the State is able to generate excess energy from solar power it can be sold even to neighbouring countries like Myanmar.
Deputy Chief Minister Joykumar shared this opinion while addressing the inaugural function of Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Power Plant of 5 KW each installed at Epathoukok Cultural Complex, Lamphelpat and Samadon Shanglen at Uripok NingthoukhongjamLeikai in Imphal on Wednesday.
Stating that Manipur being under tropical climatic conditions where sunlight is adequately available throughout the year, Joykumar said, there is a huge potential of solar power generation in the State and therefore a proposal would be made in this regard and pursued to the 15th Finance Commission for allocating more funds.
Informing that solar power generation is a renewable and useful concept rather than conventional power sources like thermal and nuclear which are non-renewable and hazardous to our environment, he said, “Being the cheapest and freely available power source, solar power generation can be developed in large-scale in the State.”
“The share of power which we are enjoying from Loktak Hydro-Electric Project alone cannot meet our requirements, therefore, the Government has been spending more than Rs 400 crore annually in purchasing power from power grids. The only way to meet the requirement would be to generate solar power in large-scale,” felt. minister Joykumar.
The day’s inaugural programmes were held as part of lighting up almost all areas under Uripok Assembly constituency using solar energy.
Seventy per cent of the total cost of the Rooftop Solar Power Plant meant for installation is borne by Government while the remaining 30 pc has to be borne by the individuals or the institutions which have applied for the installation. Manipur Renewable Energy Development Agency (Manireda) the implementing agency in the State.
The Deputy Chief Minister said, “45 sites, mostly public places like community halls, club buildings and cultural complexes have been identified and 33 power plants have been installed and started generation and the remaining installations works will be completed latest by this week.”
Director Manireda L Manglem Singh also spoke on the importance of solar energy generation in the State.
According to Manglem, 60-70 pc of the total energy in the country have been generated from thermal power plants which causes a series of environmental threats. Therefore, to counter such challenges, people’s participation in spreading awareness on the importance of solar energy is necessary to sustain such projects.