Nagaland adds 1 MW power with Ponglefo Small Hydro Project inauguration

Published on Jun 5, 2025

KOHIMA — Minister for Power and Parliamentary Affairs, KG Kenye, on Thursday virtually inaugurated the 1 MW Ponglefo Small Hydro Project (SHP) located at Salomi village in Kiphire district.
Addressing the programme at the NIC conference hall in Nagaland Civil Secretariat, Kohima, Kenye said it was another red-letter day in the history of the state and especially for the Department of Power.

KG Kenye, Sentiyanger Imchen, Asangla Imti, Kasho Chishi, and others in Kohima on Thursday. (EM Images)
He said, “We dedicate this to the people, the citizens of our state, and we extend our heartiest gratitude to our chief minister, the government of Nagaland, and the Finance department for giving us this special attention.”
Emphasising the importance of power in the modern world, he stated that lives today depend on energy. “Power propels life itself and is the driving force behind development. Even technology is dependent on energy,” he said.
The minister asserted that the advancement, the speed of progress, and development are measured by the quantum of energy a nation can produce. “The discretion it has at its disposal to sanction, use, and export the energy it can produce actually sets the benchmark for how developed or prosperous a society or nation will be in the near and distant future,” he stated.
Kenye observed that Nagaland lies in one of the five biodiversity hotspots of the world, where nature and life abound. He maintained that people have access to abundant natural resources, which must be explored and tapped.

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He remarked that if focus had not been given to this sector earlier, it is now time—after more than 60 years of statehood—to prioritise it. “We may not have very large potentials, but we have many small and mini hydro project potentials,” said Kenye.
He stated that the state will tap all these and focus on energy generation from all available resources—solar, bio, hydro, or any other clean energy-producing avenues—leaving no stone unturned.

Expressing gratitude to the state government, Kenye said the chief minister understands the requirements of the state and its people and has provided the department with resources despite financial constraints. He emphasised the need for optimal use of these resources to attract international investment, particularly in energy generation. He assured collaborative efforts in exploring the state's energy resources.
Meanwhile, Advisor for Fire and Emergency Services, Home Guards and Civil Defence, S Kiusumew Yimchunger, attended the inauguration programme at the project site along with public leaders, village elders, and officials of the Power department.
A technical report was presented by Kasho Chishi, Chief Engineer (Transmission and Generation). The project is designed for an installed capacity of 1 MW, and the power generated will be evacuated and synchronised with the grid through an 11 KV sub-transmission line to the 11 KV switchyard at Likimro Hydroelectric Project.
The total cost of the project is INR 32.17 crore—INR 22.04 crore for civil works and INR 10.13 crore for electro-mechanical components. The project was funded through MRE (INR 7.50 crore), NEC (INR 12.19 crore), the state (INR 6.13 crore), and state resources (SIDBI loan) with INR 6.35 crore.
The annual energy generation is 3.9 million units (MU), and the unit generation cost is INR 6 per unit. It was informed that the project was technically commissioned on August 27, 2022.