After more than 3 decade, Lakroh Micro Hydel Project to be finally inaugurated tomorrow

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 4, 2019

JOWAI: Finally after more than three decades, the Lakroh Micro Hydel Project will see the light of the day after missing several deadline of commissioning as this time deadline is full and final for Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad K Sangma will inaugurate the project at 11 am tomorrow.

Flipping the pages of history, on March 20, 1990 in his address to the Assembly, A.A. Rahim the then Governor of Meghalaya said, “the Stage-IV of the Umiam-Umtru Hydro Election project is expected to be commissioned by December, 1990. Detailed investigation works on Stage-I of the Myntdu-Leshka Hydro Electric Project and the Lakroh Micro Hydel Project have been completed. These projects when implemented will considerably benefit the rural sector.” But little did he know that the project would take three decades to complete.

According to official sources, the Lakroh Micro Hydel Project project was sanctioned on March 2001 by the Central Government for 11.76 crore. But the erstwhile MeSEB could acquire the required land only in January 2008 after a delay of more than six years.

The Lakroh Mini Hydel project is a run-of-the river project developed on the Lakroh River near Muktapur village in West Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya. The project site is located about 6km by road from the Muktapur village near Bangladesh border.

Giving the technical aspect of the Lakroh Micro Hydel Project, a  senior officer of the MeECL said that the project components comprise of a Diversion weir (composite structure, i.e. masonry covered with RCC) of about 40metres in length and 4.5 metres in height. The design discharge of the project is 1.15 Cumecs fixed on 66% dependable flow.

The water from the intake (developed on the body of the Weir) is led to the Forebay through an open channel of about 800 metres in length. The Overall storage capacity of the Forebay is about 450 cubic meters.

The water from the Forebay is led through a penstock pipe made of mild steel with diameter 600mm and thickness varying from 6mm at the top to 10 mm at the Power House.

The Power House is equipped with one number Horizontal Francis Turbine, EOT Crane and Panel Boards. The water from the Power house is discharged back to the river through a tail race of about 150 metres in length. The Project is having a Design Energy of 11 MUs.