Meghalaya government has approved the execution of the 500 MW thermal power project by the state-run North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO). The power company has selected Narengri in East Garo Hills district as the site and the coal would be brought in from the neighbouring mines of South and East Garo Hills. The project is likely to tide over the power crisis in the state.

NEEPCO had carried out preliminary survey works, before the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the government was kept in suspension for more than a year along with four other deals in the wake of a controversy over allotment of projects to private companies.

The preparation of detailed project report would take about a year, while the project is expected to be completed in about four years. Although Meghalaya has a hydroelectric potential of 3000 MW, the present power generation capacity of the state is only 175 MW as against the demand of 600 MW.