SHILLONG: Amid rising public concern over frequent power outages across Meghalaya, Power Minister Metbah Lyngdoh on Thursday clarified that the interruptions are due to technical maintenance and emergency repair works, and not because of any planned load shedding.
Dismissing rumours of power shortages, the Minister stated that electricity supply in the state is running smoothly and that outages occur only when urgent technical issues arise.
“There is no load shedding in Meghalaya. When power goes off, it is because our teams are carrying out repairs or addressing unforeseen technical faults,” Lyngdoh said.
Explaining the reasons behind the disruptions, the Minister said outages are primarily caused by — damaged conductors and wiring, transformer failures and emergency technical upgrades required to ensure public safety and long-term grid stability.
“Our field staff are working tirelessly to repair ageing infrastructure and respond to new technical snags as quickly as possible,” he added.
Acknowledging the communication gap between the department and the public, Lyngdoh announced that a directive has been issued to Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs) and Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs).
Under the new protocol, officials are required to coordinate directly with local headmen (Rangbah Shnong), inform communities in advance about planned repair-related shutdowns and clearly explain the reasons for power interruptions
The Minister also addressed concerns from Ri Bhoi district, assuring that reinforcement of power supply lines in the area has been taken up on priority.
Looking ahead, Lyngdoh said the state government has set a target of 2028 to complete a comprehensive overhaul of Meghalaya’s power infrastructure. The modernisation drive is being supported by major central schemes such as the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) and AHHE, aimed at ensuring a resilient, reliable and uninterrupted power supply across the state.
In a related development, the Power Minister held a meeting with leaders of the Synjuk ki Khlieh Nongshynshar Shnong of the Mawsynram C&RD Block, who are strongly opposing the Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited’s (MePDCL) proposal to hand over the Mawsynram Electrical Sub-Division to a private firm, Sai Computer Ltd.
Residents expressed deep mistrust of privatization, citing the failure of a previous seven-year contract with PEEDCO, which they alleged resulted in poor service delivery and deterioration of the power system.
Key Points Raised During the Meeting
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Since 2019, four sub-stations—three in Garo Hills and one in Mawsynram—were privatized to improve efficiency, but service quality reportedly declined.
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Local residents demanded that MePDCL resume full control over power management in Mawsynram.
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The Minister acknowledged public concerns while noting that the corporation faces internal constraints in independently managing all divisions.
“The discussion was detailed and frank. The concerns raised by the shnong leaders were very clear,” Lyngdoh said. “A final decision will be taken with the welfare of the people as the top priority.”
