Minister KG Kenye with legislators and Power Department
officials at the Duilumroi Power House, Poilwa Village, on Friday. (EM Images)
POILWA — Minister
for Power and Parliamentary Affairs, KG Kenye, on Friday emphasised the need to
harness the energy resources available in the state to meet growing demand.
He stated this during the inaugural of the 2.4 MW Duilumroi
Hydro Electric Project at Poilwa village in Peren district.
Expressing satisfaction with the successful completion of
the project, Kenye praised the department and contractors for completing the
work in just over two years despite the region's challenging terrain and
logistical difficulties. He pointed out that the state has only developed 26 MW
of hydroelectric capacity in over six decades of statehood, falling short of
serving its growing population’s energy needs.
While large hydro prospects are limited, Nagaland holds
great potential for small and mini hydro projects, Kenye said and urged
engineers to identify and develop such viable locations.
He also acknowledged the state government under Chief
Minister Neiphiu Rio for funding the project solely through state resources,
despite being cash-strapped.
Secretary of Power, Asangla Imti, echoed Kenye’s sentiments
and congratulated the department’s engineers—past and present—for their
dedication. Stressing sustainability, she called for increased forest cover
around the catchment area to protect the project’s long-term viability.
“Let this be a model hydro project for the department,” she
said, urging officials to ensure efficient operations and use lessons from past
experiences when selecting future hydro sites.
Chief Engineer (Transmission & Generation), Kasho
Chishi, provided operational details of the project: construction began in
April 2021 with a targeted 36-month timeline, but geological challenges caused
minor delays. Nevertheless, the project was technically commissioned on
December 11, 2024, and entered trial operation in early 2025.
The total project cost amounted to INR 40.29 crore, with
major expenditures allocated to civil works (INR 21.25 crore),
electro-mechanical components (INR 14.42 crore), and transmission
infrastructure (INR 3.99 crore). Despite slight cost escalations due to revised
GST rates and unexpected works, Chishi maintained that the cost of generation
remains competitive at INR 5.50 per unit.
With a generation capacity of 2.4 megawatts, the project is
connected to the state grid through a dedicated 33 kV line. “It can supply
electricity to roughly one-tenth of Kohima city during peak hours,” Chishi
explained.
He also stressed the project’s economic significance. “This
project doesn’t just provide services—it generates revenue. Designed for 40
years, its returns will more than justify the investment.”
He thanked the Planning and Finance Departments for
uninterrupted funding and extended appreciation to the Poilwa Village Council
and nearby villages for their cooperation.
Additional Chief Engineer (Civil), Visakho Therie, presented
the project’s technical specifications. Developed as a
"Run-of-the-River" scheme, the Duilumroi project taps the river
originating from the Japfu ranges.
With a net head (vertical drop) of 165 metres and a design
discharge of 1.72 cubic metres per second, the plant can generate around 11.95
million units (MU) annually at 60% plant load factor (PLF).
The infrastructure includes a 16-metre diversion weir,
500-metre power channel, penstock, and a powerhouse equipped with two Pelton
turbines. A 33/11 kV substation ensures grid connectivity via a 33 kV
transmission line to the Kohima substation through Zubza.
Machinery and infrastructure setup at the Duilumroi Hydro
Electric Project, Poilwa Village, captured during the inaugural event on
Friday. (EM Images)
Therie highlighted that the development incurred no
additional land acquisition costs, as the land was already owned by the
department. He also noted that the project generated 367,800 units during the
trial period, saving the government over INR 20 lakh in power purchases.
Based on the estimated annual generation of 11.95 MU at 60%
PLF, the unit cost of power generation is calculated at INR 5.51 per unit,
which is expected to save the State Exchequer approximately INR 6.5 crore
annually from avoided power purchases under ideal conditions. The capital cost
recovery is projected to be achieved within seven to eight years of the
project's commissioning.
