The North East Energy Summit 2026, under the theme “Northeast: India’s Energy Frontier,” was held on 30th October at The Niathu Zone, by Park, Chumoukedima, Nagaland. The summit was organised by the Geology and Mining Department, Government of Nagaland, in collaboration with the North East Energy Summit. Under the Nagaland Energy Chapter to highlight the energy potential of the Northeast and explore opportunities for investment, development and regional cooperation in the energy sector.

A special address was delivered by K.G. Kenye, Minister of Power and Parliamentary Affairs, where he encouraged the participating, government departments, industry representatives, public sector enterprises and financial institutions to identify priority investment opportunities, prepare viable projects, improve government-industry coordination and establish practical mechanisms to follow up on commitments made during the summit.

He expressed hope that the proposed NEES Declaration would serve as a meaningful starting point for sustained cooperation, with clearly identified priorities, responsibilities and timelines.

Kenye reiterated the Nagaland Government's commitment to ensuring that energy development translates into better infrastructure, improved public services, greater investment, employment opportunities and a stronger economy for the State.

He concluded by expressing confidence that the discussions and partnerships emerging from the summit would contribute positively to the energy future of Nagaland and the entire Northeastern region, while supporting the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. He extended his best wishes for the success of the North East Energy Summit.

In Policy Keynote address, K.D. Vizo, Principal Secretary to the CMO, Power and Law & Justice, Government of Nagaland, has called upon industry leaders, investors and development partners to explore investment opportunities in Nagaland's energy sector, emphasising the importance of private-sector participation in strengthening the state's energy infrastructure and accelerating development.

Addressing industry leaders, development partners and other stakeholders, Vizo highlighted Nagaland's potential in renewable energy, particularly solar and hydropower, and stressed the need to create greater awareness among investors about the opportunities available in the state.

He challenged prospective investors to look beyond conventional investment destinations and consider Nagaland as a promising destination for investment. “If you are investing in thousands of crores of rupees in other states and regions, why not consider investing in Nagaland?” he remarked, assuring that the Department of Power was ready to welcome investors.

Highlighting the government's initiatives, he informed that the state had signed several Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with private companies under its Power Policy introduced in 2018, which opened the power sector to private investment and participation.

Among the projects awaiting implementation are a 20 MW solar power project by My Hello Agency, signed at a tariff rate of ₹4.14 per unit, and another 20 MW solar power project by Tenas Bangshal. Other projects include a 27 MW thermal power plant by NS Petro Method at Tuli, at a tariff rate of ₹4.80 per unit; a 10 MW biomass power plant by MS Group Private Limited at Tuli, at ₹5.06 per unit; and a 22.5 MW hydropower project at Khagrachari by MS Haritha Energy Private Limited. He observed that some of these agreements had been signed nearly four years ago but were yet to take off, urging investors to translate commitments into actual implementation.

On the renewable energy front, Vizo informed that rooftop solar installation was progressing, with 650 installations completed against a target of 10,900. He highlighted the availability of central and state subsidies, along with banking support, and pointed out that limited public awareness had contributed to the slow progress. He said extensive awareness campaigns were being conducted to encourage consumers to adopt rooftop solar as one of the solutions to the state's energy requirements.

He also highlighted the Chief Minister's Solar Committee Scheme, for which implementation work was underway, and informed that the government was planning to establish 17 Solar Model Villages, one in each district, with the tendering process in progress.

On transmission infrastructure, he stated that Nagaland was almost at par with other states and had made progress in certain areas. The 220 kV Zathima–Dimapur transmission line project was at an advanced stage and, upon commissioning, was expected to improve power stability in districts including Kohima, Phek, Wokha, Tuensang and Mokokchung. He also informed that initiatives were being taken to extend extra-high-voltage transmission infrastructure to districts such as Mon.

Expressing optimism about the sector's future, Vizo stated that the government was making concerted efforts to bring the power sector towards profitability within the next two years. He also highlighted the implementation of various centrally sponsored schemes, including renewable energy initiatives, with extensive work underway in distribution transformer augmentation, strengthening of distribution lines and smart meter installation to improve the efficiency and reliability of power supply.

Acknowledging the challenges facing the sector, he expressed confidence that these could be overcome through proper planning, sustained efforts and cooperation among the government, investors and other stakeholders Emphasising that Nagaland's development should not be viewed as the responsibility of the government alone, Vizo stated that the private sector also had an important role in bringing investment, technology, expertise and resources to accelerate the state's development.

He urged industry leaders and development partners to understand Nagaland's potential and communicate the right perspective to prospective investors, encouraging them to explore opportunities in the state rather than overlooking it in favour of neighbouring states.

He concluded by expressing hope for stronger cooperation between the government and industry stakeholders to strengthen Nagaland's energy infrastructure, bring the sector at par with other states and ultimately make Nagaland an energy-sufficient state. He thanked the organisers for providing the platform and expressed optimism that the interaction would lead to meaningful partnerships and greater investment in the state's energy sector.

A series of keynote addresses and panel discussions were held on key areas, including hydrocarbon exploration, mineral exploration, renewable energy, natural gas and power-sector development.

Key sessions included “India’s Upstream Outlook and the North East,” “Unlocking Nagaland’s Hydrocarbon Potential,” “North East Gas Grid and City Gas Distribution,” and “Northeast, India’s Energy Frontier.”

The summit brought together government officials, industry representatives, energy experts and other stakeholders to deliberate on the region’s energy prospects, with particular emphasis on Nagaland.

The inaugural session also featured the lighting of the lamp by K.G. Kenye, Minister of Power and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Nagaland. The programme also included addresses by representatives from the Department of Geology and Mining and other dignitaries.

(Limatoshi, IA Chumoukedima)