Power ministry seeks gas for eight more plants

The power ministry has recommended the names of eight power plants to the petroleum ministry for allocation of gas this year.

Based on an assessment of construction work at various project sites, the power ministry has recommended Reliance Power’s Samalkot expansion (2400 mw) Torrent power’s Sugen (382.5 mw) and Dahej (800 mw), Panduranga Energy System’s CCGT (100 mw), RVK (Rajamundary) Pvt Ltd (436 mw), Beta Infratech (225 mw), Kashipur Project of Sarvanti Energy (225 mw) and Gama Infratech (225 mw).

A total of 16 million metric standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) of gas has been recommended for these plants at 75% plant load factor, taking the total allocation recommended by the power ministry to 31.82 mmscmd.

In May, the power ministry had recommended allocation of 15.59 mmscmd of natural gas to six other power plants, which are also likely to be commissioned during 2011 (11th Plan period).

These included the Hazira CCPP of Gujarat State Energy, Pipavav CCPP of GSPC Pipavav, Pragati Stage-III of Pragati Power, Lanco Kondapalli Stage-III, Kashipur CCPP of Sharvanthi Energy, and Vemagiri Expansion CCPP of GMR Energy.

An empowered group of ministers had earlier planned to allocate gas to the plants, which would be commissioned during the 11th Plan period.

The latest recommendations come at a time when the petroleum ministry has advised the power ministry to be strict while recommending names of the projects for the 11th Plan as the country faces a gas shortage following the decline in production from the KG-D6 basin to 50 mmscmd.

Meanwhile, ONGC is expected to start production of 2 mmscmd of gas from its offshore fields shortly.