Petronet to supply more gas to generate power

The government has asked Petronet LNG Ltd to supply an additional regassified liquefied natural gas to National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), besides allocating additional gas to the public sector company, as part of its strategy to increase the electricity generation to compensate for shortages on account of inadequate rain.

Senior government officials told Business Standard that the ministries of petroleum and power have asked Petronet to supply an additional 1.3 MCMD regassified liquefied natural gas to NTPC's Kawas and Gandhar plants with a combined capacity of 1,300 mega watt. Also, 1 MCMD additional gas will be supplied to the company's Dadri, Auraiya and Faridabad units. The decision was taken following consultations by the power secretary with state energy secretaries last week.

"The decision was taken as NTPC complained of gas shortage. As a result of this the plant load factor could not be increased beyond the present average of 65 per cent," said an official.

In addition to these measures, states have been asked to enter into commercial arrangements with captive generation units, wherever there is an additional capacity available. Further, the power generating units owned by the Central utilities have been asked to defer maintenance to make good the shortfall arising due to the lower generation by hydel plants.

According to the power ministry's estimates, hydel generation is 2 per cent of the target till July. For the year, the generation target has been set at 586 billion units, of which around 15 per cent or 84 billion units were to be contributed by the hydel stations. Hydro generating stations in the north were operating at 8 per cent below the target, officials said.

Apart from stepping up the generation, the government has decided to make available another 1,100 mega watt to the northern region, which is reeling under power shortage as a result of inadequate rainfall.

Powergrid has been asked to evacuate an additional 500 megawatt from the eastern region and supplying to the northern states. Another 200 megawatt load of the north Indian states has been connected to the eastern region.

Also, of the 1,200 megawatt drawn through the Rourkela-Raipur line, 200 megawatt was being evacuated from the eastern region and transferred to the western region before entering the northern region, officials said. Further of the 2,000 megawatt evacuated from the eastern region for the southern states, 200 megawatt is being passed on to the north. The government has also decided to supply more power to states from the 4,000 megawatt Central pool.

Package for farmers this week

With drought situation slightly improving following good rains in some states, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said a liberalised package for farmers, including rescheduling of farm loans and greater employment, would be unveiled this week. Pawar, who also holds the food portfolio, said a package for the crisis-ridden sugar industry was on the cards.

"The situation is not that alarming now as compared to a week ago as rains in Maharashtra, Gujarat and parts of Rajasthan have improved the farm scenario," he told reporters.