The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $132.8 million loan to improve and upgrade the power distribution network in Meghalaya.
In August 2020, the Meghalaya cabinet had approved a proposal from
The project will construct 23 substations; renovate and modernize 45 substations, including the provision of control room equipment and protection systems; install and upgrade 2,214 km of distribution lines and associated facilities covering three out of the six circles in the state. It will replace antiquated electromechanical meters with smart meters, which will benefit about 180,000 households. The loan will be supplemented by a $2 million grant from ADB’s Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction that will finance mini-grids that will improve power quality and support income generation, especially for women and other socially disadvantaged groups, using renewable energy sources in three villages and three schools. The project will help develop a distribution sector road map and a financial road map for the Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited (MePDCL).