Agartala, June 1, 2026: Tripura has achieved significant progress in strengthening its power infrastructure, with 95 percent of work under the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-assisted power distribution strengthening project already completed, State Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath said.

Speaking at a high-level review meeting held at the State Guest House on Sunday, the Minister informed that the remaining work under the project is expected to be completed by June. The meeting was attended by Union Minister for Power, Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar and Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha.

Highlighting advancements in power sector reforms, Nath stated that the installation of smart meters across the state is progressing steadily and is scheduled for completion by October this year. So far, 355,158 consumers have been brought under smart meter coverage, while the remaining 216,144 consumers will be connected in the coming months.

He added that smart meters have already been installed on all 11 kV feeders and distribution transformers. Additionally, 5,894 prepaid meters have been installed in government offices, along with 5,347 standalone prepaid meters currently in operation. In total, 159,013 standalone prepaid meters have been deployed across the state, marking one of the largest such implementations in the country.

The Minister further noted that Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses in Tripura have reduced significantly from 40 percent in 2018 to 18.23 percent at present, attributing the improvement to sustained central assistance and infrastructure upgrades.

Providing an overview of power availability, Nath said the state’s peak demand currently stands at 542 MW, against an internal generation capacity of 365 MW. The deficit of 177 MW is being met through purchases from the open market, with gas supply shortages continuing to affect generation.

He also highlighted progress under various central schemes. Work under the PM-JANMAN scheme has been completed, while 90 percent of the work under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan has been finished, with the remainder expected by June. Similarly, 95 percent of loss reduction work under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) has been completed, with full completion targeted by July.

Under the ADB-supported initiative, a major project involving the upgradation of the 63 MW Rukhia Open Cycle Gas Turbine to a 120 MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine is underway, with completion expected by March 2029.

Meanwhile, under the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, the state has installed 12.11 MW of rooftop solar capacity so far, against a target of 150 MW.

The Minister emphasized that continued central support has been instrumental in driving reforms and improving efficiency in Tripura’s power sector.