Agartala: Tripura can achieve self-sufficiency in power generation if half of the state’s consumers install solar panels, Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath said on Saturday.
Speaking at the Bhumi Pujan of North East’s first ECBC (Energy Conservation Building Code) building at Banamalipur, Nath said the state currently has 10.57 lakh power consumers, up from 7.21 lakh before the BJP government took office.
“If five lakh households adopt solar panels, we can generate 1,000 megawatts of power daily. Even if only two lakh households install panels, we can generate 400 megawatts, more than our current peak demand of 378 megawatts. By 2031-32, our peak demand is projected to reach 650 megawatts per day,” he added.
Nath said so far, solar panels have been installed in 15,000 households, generating six megawatts. The state is also installing solar plants in government buildings, with 200–300 of the total 2,000 buildings already covered. These installations alone are expected to generate 80 megawatts.
Highlighting the rise in power consumers as a sign of development, Nath said, “Power is an essential element of growth. The increase in consumers reflects an improved standard of living. Per capita income has risen from Rs 1,00,400 to Rs 1,98,000 in seven years, and we aim to reach Rs 3,70,000.”
Nath also credited welfare schemes of the central government for improving Tripura’s socio-economic conditions. “Under PM Awas Yojana, 4,94,000 dwellings have been sanctioned. About 24 lakh people receive free ration. No household in the state faces a shortage of food grains,” he said.
On the ECBC building, Nath explained, “This is one of five such buildings in India. It aims to cut power consumption by 20 to 40 percent through engineering interventions.”