AGARTALA, January 12 (TIWN): State owned ONGC (Oil & Natural Gas Corporation) is all set with its OTPC-NEEPCO via Khedabari pipeline to supply gas likely from January 14 to Monarchak power plant that is being set up by government-run NEEPCO in western Tripura, said ONGC Asset Manager V P Mahawar today. Besides Monarchak Power Plant is ready to start its commissioning activities for 65 MW of power on its first phase, said NEEPCO Project Head S R Biswas today.
Talking to TIWN today ONGC Asset Manager V.P Mahawar said that the ONGC is ready with its gas pipeline connecting NEEPCO from OTPC via Khedabari. The ONGC is all set to supply gas to the pipeline likely from January 14, said Mahawar. Adding to that he mentioned, the work of drilling for the pipeline under the River Gomati that will connect the NEEPCO for its power plant will start from January 13 and it will take at least 2 days if everything is on right track. And later before testing the gas supply through the pipeline the joining works will kick start, said Mahawar.

Putting stress on no further disturbance on the gas pipeline that once occurred while supplying gas to the OTPC, Mahawar said that one cyclone separator has been ordered which costs Rs. 1.2 crore, and it will be dispatched from Delhi today. Besides, gas filter had already been installed at Monarchak power Plant. And later the separator machine will be installed, said Mahawar. He said that the ONGC has got a lessoned learned experience once after the disturbance found in the gas pipeline connecting to OTPC, therefore the ONGC now do not want to take any further chance of such disturbances, due to which the ONGC has now taken several preventive measures, said ONGC Asset Manager V.P Mahawar today.

Asked about the delay of the pipeline work, Mahawar on his reply said that due to the massacre occurred at Assam Kokhrajhar couple of days back the ONGC based two trucks loaded with all ONGC equipments overturned at the massacre spot. Beside, once the ONGC has planned to hand over the contruction work for the pipeline to the Delhi based EIL (Engineers India Limited) agency but later putting stress on good mentoring of the work the ONGC has planned to give the tender local agency Debnath Construction Company, said Mahawar.

However later talking to TIWN today NEEPCO Project Head SR Biswas said that as per the official declaration the ONGC is likely to supply its first phase gas by the end of this month. “If ONGC gives us gas by the end of this month than we can start our turbines by the end of March”, said NEEPCO Head Biswas. He further added that once the Monarchak gets a gas from the ONGC than it will start ITS COMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES for 65 MW power generation in its first phase.

Sideling another issue on the solar power plant at Monarchak Biswas said that the Monarchak is all set to start its Solar Power Plant partial commissioning of 2.5 MW of power by the end of January 2015.     

The proposed solar plant will come up in the premises of 101 MW Tripura gas-based power project which is under construction.

For developing 5 MW power plant, the company has already invited bids. The scope of work involves designing, manufacturing, supplying, packing, forwarding and transportation of the power plant to the site along with its operation and maintenance for a period of five years. The bidder will also be responsible for associated civil, architectural and structural works.