The Tripura government’s green energy drive has got a huge boost.
At the recently concluded Destination Tripura Business Conclave 2026, Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) signed 14 agreements with various public and private companies, attracting investments of approximately INR 18,100 crore. These investments are aimed at modernising the power grid, boosting green energy production and creating employment opportunities.
Tripura has been gradually shifting to renewable energy from fossil fuels, primarily toward solar and hydrokinetic power. The state had been finding it difficult to generate optimal power from its major gas-based thermal project over the last decade.
Clean energy MoU
REC Limited, a Maharatna public sector finance company under india’s ministry of power, has signed MoUs worth INR 15,000 crore to finance clean energy and power infrastructure in the state, with INR 5,000 crore expressly dedicated to renewable energy projects. Additionally, GIZ India partnered with the state to advance decentralised, distributed renewable energy solutions.
MACLEC is investing INR 8,400 crore in developing 400 MW hydro projects using local streams. REC Ltd is providing INR 5,000 crore to enhance and expand the distribution network, while Power Finance Corporation (PFC) Ltd. is contributing an additional INR 4,000 crore for network improvements.
Emphasising clean technology, PTC India Ltd is investing INR 150 crore in a 100 MWh battery storage system.
“The investments strengthen Tripura’s energy infrastructure by enhancing green energy generation and electric vehicle infrastructure while stimulating the local economy,” said the power secretary Abhishek Singh.
Funds pledged
North East Transmission Company Ltd. is setting aside INR 220 crore for two smaller battery systems. Longtharai Power Pvt Ltd. is enhancing solar capabilities with an investment of INR 45 crore, while multiple companies plan to manufacture equipment locally.
Electrotrans Pvt Ltd. and SAI Electricals are investing INR 5.5 crore and INR 3 crore, respectively, in transformer plants and stores. Zentro Power Solutions Pvt Ltd. will allocate INR 11 crore for producing panels, insulators, and transformers. Xlayer is committing INR 25 crore to network digitization. In Agartala, KIGG Systems India Pvt Ltd. is forming a Global Capability Centre with an investment of INR 100 crore, in collaboration with the government, to employ local talent from NIT Agartala, focusing on AI and innovative energy technologies.
In other initiatives, Alternate EV Solutions Pvt Ltd. is planning an INR 35 crore investment in EV charging stations, and SPAEC Energy is dedicating INR 100 crore towards hydropower development.
GIZ from Germany will provide INR 5 crore for technical support in grid modernization. TSECL has also attracted interest from Veerman Green Energy and Techno Power and signed a deal with NHPC for the Kamala Hydro Power Project.
Solar, hydro upsurge
The state is targeting the installation of 81.5 MW of rooftop solar capacity, including Initiatives solarising government buildings, village committee offices and rural water pumps. The government is pushing the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, a subsidised solar rooftop scheme for installations in the range of one to three kilowat , seeking installations across 5 lakh homes.
“The government is providing a subsidy of INR 33,000 for a one kilowatt solar system, INR 66,000 for a two kilowatt system, and INR 85,800 for a three-kilowatt system,” said state power minister Ratan Lal Nath to The Plurals.
The PM Suryaghar project has already contributed 11 megawatts of power, with 17,000 registrations and 3,500 installations by families, the minister claimed.
The state currently produces 35 MW of solar power and aims to add another 11 MW, alongside major investments for large-scale hydrokinetic and rooftop solar projects.
To address rising power demands, the state government is now strongly focusing on solar energy. Currently, 2,350 electricity users have installed solar panels on rooftops and open spaces, collectively producing over 8 MW of electricity. TSECL aims to increase solar capacity to 50 MW by 2027.
Moreover, the state has identified 10 river sites, including Chakmaghat, Dumboor, and Feni; to generate 185 MW of electricity using low-impact Hydrokinetic Turbine Technology.
“Germany-based GIZ, in collaboration with TSECL, is conducting successful training sessions for officials, engineers, and vendors on the maintenance and repair of solar systems,” said state power secretary.
Power decline
“Tripura was one of the first states to start solar during 1981-82 and set up India’s first set of field level solar run irrigation pumps,” said solar expert SP Gon Choudhury, who was a senior scientist in Tripura’s science and technology department for a decade before shifting to West Bengal.
With ONGC’s assessment of gas availability, a 726 MW power plant was set up in Palatana, Gomati district, Tripura, in 2005. Initially, a 363 MW unit began operations, followed by a similar second unit in 2015 to provide consistent power in the state.
Before Palatana, another 101 MW gas power plant was established in 2001 at Moarchak near the Indo-Bangladesh border in Sepahijala district and functioned well for several years. In addition to these projects, smaller hydro and thermal projects contributed another 500 MW, rendering the state power surplus. By 2015, Tripura’s power generation had surpassed 1200 MW, enabling exports to Bangladesh and integration with the national grid. However, within five years, ONGC failed to supply the promised gas to both projects, turning them into financial losses and causing a power shortage in Tripura.
“After the BJP government came to power, the number of PM Surya Ghar rooftop solar project increased significantly,” added Gon Choudhury, who was a planning board member in Tripura from 2013 to 2017.