Tripura Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath announced that 95% of the ADB-funded power distribution strengthening project has been completed, with the remaining work expected by June. Smart meter installation is progressing rapidly, while major power infrastructure, solar energy, and loss-reduction projects are significantly improving the state’s electricity sector.
Tripura has made significant strides in strengthening its power infrastructure, with nearly 95 percent of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded power distribution project already completed. The remaining work is expected to be finished within this month, Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath said on Sunday.
The minister shared the information after participating in a review meeting with Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Power, Manohar Lal Khattar. Nath said the state government has been actively implementing several power sector reforms and infrastructure development projects aimed at ensuring reliable electricity supply and reducing system losses.
According to the minister, the installation of smart electricity meters across Tripura is progressing rapidly and is expected to be completed by October this year. He informed that works undertaken under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) have already been completed, while projects under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA) have achieved around 90 percent progress and are likely to be completed by June.
Nath stated that Tripura’s current peak electricity demand stands at 542 MW. Of this, the state has an availability of 365 MW, while the remaining 177 MW is procured from the power market. He pointed out that the availability of electricity in the state continues to be affected by inadequate supply of natural gas, which remains a major challenge for local power generation.
The minister emphasized that financial support provided by the Central Government has played a crucial role in strengthening the state’s power sector. As a result of various reforms and infrastructure improvements, the Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) loss in Tripura has reduced substantially.
“AT&C loss in the state was around 40 percent in 2018. Through continuous efforts and implementation of modern technologies, it has now come down to 18.23 percent,” Nath said.
He further noted that smart metering remains one of the key components of the government’s power sector modernization strategy. Smart meters have already been installed on all 11 KV feeders and distribution transformers across the state.
Providing details, Nath said that 3,55,158 consumers have already been connected with smart meters. The remaining 2,16,144 consumers are expected to be covered under the smart metering system by October this year. The initiative is expected to improve billing efficiency, reduce power theft, and provide consumers with better monitoring of electricity consumption.
The minister also highlighted Tripura’s pioneering role in adopting prepaid metering technology. According to him, prepaid meters have already been installed in 5,894 government offices across the state. Additionally, 5,347 standalone prepaid meters and a total of 1,59,013 standalone prepaid consumer meters have been installed.
“Tripura is the first state in the country to implement prepaid meters on such a large scale,” Nath said, describing the achievement as a major milestone in the state’s power reforms.
Discussing the progress of other power-related schemes, Nath informed that around 95 percent of the loss-reduction works under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) have already been completed. The remaining activities are expected to be completed by July.
He reiterated that the PM-JANMAN project has been fully completed, while DA-JGUA projects have reached 90 percent completion. Similarly, the ADB-assisted distribution strengthening project has achieved 95 percent progress and is expected to be fully completed by June, significantly enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the electricity distribution network across the state.
In another major development, the minister announced that Tripura is undertaking a large-scale power generation enhancement project at Rukhia with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank. Under the project, the existing 63 MW open-cycle gas turbine power plant will be upgraded into a 120 MW combined-cycle gas turbine power plant.
The ambitious project is estimated to cost around Rs 1,320 crore and is expected to be completed by March 2029. Once operational, the upgraded facility will substantially increase the state’s power generation capacity and help meet future energy requirements.
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The minister also highlighted the state’s achievements in renewable energy development. Under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, rooftop solar power systems with a combined capacity of 12.11 MW have already been installed across Tripura.
The state government has set an ambitious target of achieving 150 MW of rooftop solar capacity under the scheme in the coming years. Officials believe that increased adoption of solar energy will reduce dependence on conventional power sources and contribute to cleaner and more sustainable energy generation.
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With major infrastructure projects nearing completion, rapid expansion of smart metering, reduction in transmission losses, and increasing investment in renewable energy and power generation, Tripura is steadily moving toward a more efficient, reliable, and sustainable power sector capable of meeting the growing electricity demands of its residents and industries.
