The beleaguered Dabhol power plant has been forced to cut down electricity generation after a technical snag at Petronet LNG's Dahej terminal cut gas supplies to the unit in Maharashtra. Ratnagiri Gas and Power, the new owner of 2,150 mega watt power plant at Dabhol, needs 5.4 million standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) of gas for two of its operational units, but the supplies have been restricted to only 2.2 mmscmd. "RGPPL has received a notice from gas suppliers that in view of the technical problem at PLL's Dahej terminal, the gas supply to RGPPL will be curtailed to 1.5 mmscmd from August1," company Managing Director A K Ahuja wrote to the power Ministry.
Petronet, the country's largest liquefied natural gas importer, had to shutdown a high pressure compressor pump in June due to overwork of the equipment, reducing supplies of regassified-LNG by 3-4 mmscmd, an official said.
Ahuja said 1.5 mmscmd gas would curtail power generation to just 300 MW, and sought a minimum of 2.9 mmscmd to produce 600 MW of electricity.
Petronet officials, however, said RGPPL was being supplied 2.2 mmscmd of gas and the company will take 40-45 days to bring back the compressor into operation.
RGPPL had never been able to off-take the entire allocation of 5.4 mmscmd due to technical problems at its plant.
Following the break-down at Dahej, it was offered Reliance gas but the company could not take deliveries.
