Our Correspondent
Imphal, June 10 (EMN): In a move to light up almost all the streets and community centres of Uripok assembly constituency in Imphal west district, the Manipur Renewable Energy Development Agency (Manireda) is currently taking up an installation initiative of solar power plants in the constituency with the support of its member of legislative assembly Yumnam Joykumar.
Conveying about the initiative, director of Manireda, L Manglem, said that the idea to use the renewable solar energy, which is a green energy produced by using the unused rooftop space, is to help the country in achieving its ambitious target of 1,00,000 MW by 2020. “Besides it will not only helping in minimizing the usual expenditure in buying power supply as the plants directly links with the power grid but also helps the environment,” he added.
These power plants to be installed will generate solar energy for street lighting as a part of the ongoing solar energy generation project jointly undertaking with Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited so that the unused power supply can be sold to power grid.
‘So the beneficiaries, particularly the local clubs or community bodies, will get the benefits if they use the power supply judiciously for the next 25 years,’ Manireda director said. The lifespan of the solar panels is said to be 25 years.
“Interestingly 70 per cent of the total cost for installation of the solar power plant will be borne by Manireda and only the remaining 30 per cent will be borne by the individual or the local club or community bodies who have applied for the work,” he added.
But in case of Uripok constituency it is reported that the local MLA Yumnam Joykumar, who is also the deputy chief minister of the state, extended necessary financial support to local bodies from his local area development fund for the installation of solar power plants.
“Once the lighting at street and community centres in the constituency is completed, it will be helpful in controlling crime and related activities,” said Joykumar while inaugurating the 10th and the 11th plants out of the proposed 40 solar power plants in the constituency at Nityainanda Mandap at RIMS road and Radha Mandap at Naoremthong premises in Imphal on Sunday.
The plants which are currently installed or under installation process have the generating capacity of 3KW to 8KW and each unit can light at least 300-400 LED bulbs.
He also appealed people to cooperate with this initiative to encourage solar energy generation in the state so that it can give less pressure to the environment by reducing the carbon footprint.
