AGARTALA, July 3 (TIWN): Aiming to clinch the 100 MW power deal with the neighbouring country Bangladesh against the 144 surplus, Tripura Power Minister Manik Dey on Thursday had left for New Delhi, the official of the power department confirmed. At the meantime, the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) is on a verge to complete the work of setting up the power transmission line up to Bangladesh which is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The state government here had decided the 100 MW power to be fed from Suryamaninagar grid of Agartala to Brahmanbaria grid from the state governments share of 726 MW capacity gas based mega power project at Palatana in Gomati Tripura.However, the high level meeting at Delhi is expected to clear up the deal with Bangladesh, in regard of supplying 100 MW power from Palatana OTPC. Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) has targeted to finish the transmission line to supply 100 MW power to neighbouring Bangladesh via Brahmanbaria grid from Tripura by end of this year.Earlier the power minister Manik Dey said that the state government has planned to supply power to Bangladesh as the Bangladesh government had extended its helping hands towards bringing the heavy machineries here in Tripura Palatana through their land.PGCIL has already completed work on 20 of the 65 transmission towers in south and western part of Tripura whereas the work on more 45 towers is underway.

The 100 MW of power would be supplied from the Tripura Government’s share of 726 MW. PGCIL has been erecting 20 km long 400 KV transmission line on Indian side by installing about 65 towers to supply power to Bangladesh. However, with this Bangladesh is expected to be connected with Tripura power by 2016.

As per the electricity allocation from the project, Assam will get 240 MW, Meghalaya 79 MW, Manipur 42 MW, Nagaland 27 MW, Arunachal Pradesh 22 MW, Mizoram 22 MW and Tripura will get 196 MW.

Besides, from the source it has been learnt that the Palatana OTPC is waiting for the final deal of the power supply to Bangladesh following which the OTPC would supply the clean power of 100 MW to   Bangladesh. The Centre is funding Rs 83 crore for the project. Tripura has topped the list of highest power surplus state in the country with the installation of 726.6 MW Palatana project.

However, the development and operation of the transmission system would be undertaken by North East Transmission Company Limited, a joint venture of OTPC, the Power Grid Corporation of India and the north eastern region beneficiary states.  Pegged at Rs 83 crore, the project work is underway to expedite the power transmission, said the officials.

Despite all odd the Tripura Left front Government is eyeing towards to make the state a power surplus state with its capacity to sell at least 200 MW of power daily from Tripura to other North Eastern states and the neighbouring country Bangladesh by 2016.

The Bangladesh Government had extended its helping hand allowing Tripura Government to use their land transporting heavy machineries and equipments for setting up of the OTPC plant at Palatana, Gomati District of the state.