Commissioning of Monarchak power project uncertain in Tripura

North East Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) today said that commissioning of 101 MW gas-based thermal project at Monarchak in Sipahijala district has become uncertain due to delay in gas supply by ONGC. "We would like to clarify that erection of the gas turbine unit of the Monarchak plant has already been completed in September last year and since then NEEPCO authority has been waiting for ONGC to supply gas so that the plant could be put on operation," Monarchak project head S R Biswas said.

"It is further put on record that ONGC was required to commence gas supply to the project from March 2013. In spite of regular enquiry from NEEPCO, ONGC has been silent as to when they will be able to commence supply. This has made the commissioning of the project uncertain," he said. V P Mahawar, manager of ONGC's Tripura Asset, had recently told reporters the company would start supplying gas to Monarchak plant by December this year as seven to eight months would be required to complete technical works. The Monarchak project is incurring a loss of Rs 3.5 crore per month.