Solar Micro Grids To Light Up Over 9,000 Remote Households In Tripura

The Centre has sanctioned Rs 81 crore to Tripura for setting up 274 solar micro grids in remote areas of the northeastern state to light up over 9,000 houses, an official said on Thursday.

Under the project of the Ministry of Development of Northeast Region (DoNER), the micro grids will be established in hamlets in Dhalai, Unakoti, and South, West and North Tripura districts, where 'conventional electricity appears non profitable' to the state power utility because of low population density, he said.

"The DoNER has sanctioned Rs 81 crore to Tripura for setting up 274 solar micro grids in remote areas, particularly tribal hamlets, where conventional electricity has not reached the people yet. A total of 9,250 families will be benefited under the project," an official of the Tripura Renewable Energy Development Agency (TREDA) said.

The northeastern state still has several tribal and non-tribal habitations where electricity has not reached yet due to geographical isolation and low population density, he said, adding the project will light up the houses by using solar power.

"Each solar micro grid will have an installed capacity ranging from 2 KW to 25 KW depending on the population of a particular habitation. Although the tariff has not been finalised yet, the beneficiary needs to pay a small amount for power consumption," he said, adding the work is expected to commence in the current fiscal.

According to TREDA estimation, the northeastern state has a solar power potential of 2,000 MW, of which only 19.50 MW is being generated at present.

Recently, the state has unveiled Tripura Energy Vision of generating 500 MW of solar power by 2030.