AGARTALA, May 22 (TIWN): In a major embarrassment to the Central Government’s efforts to develop infrastructure in the northeastern region, the Palatana power project in Tripura, inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narnedra Modi, has run into serious problems. Asked about the Palatana power production, Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd. (TSECL) Chairman cum Managing Director (CMD) S K Roy said, “As both the units at Palatana OTPC are unable to run at a time, the power production is less, because when Unit I starts its generation another has to be shut down.” At Rukhia power generation plant, power production appears normal with around 60 generating there. It is now obvious that Tripura is going to be hit badly by power crisis for another month as a result the state would face worsen load shedding situation this summer which has brought a scorching heat to hit the daily normal life of the people of the state. Talking to TIWN on Friday Roy said, “Recently our Barmura Gas thermal power project is facing heavy scarcity of gas from ONGC.” Adding to that Roy said that ONGC has assured TSECL to increase their gas supply within next two months.Scarcity of natural gas has been affecting the normal power generation at Barmura Gas Thermal Power Project in Teliamura subdivision. The power plant which is supposed to produce 40 MW power, is currently producing only 30 MW power leading to power shortage in the state.

“The ONGC is not supplying gas to the Barmura gas power plant since gas wells in the vicinity of the project have become old that resulted in decline in the power generation”, Roy said to TIWN over telephone on Friday. “Power supply in the state stands at 230 against 250 MW pick-hour demand leading a gap of around 20 MW. “Sometimes, we go for power cut that too for very less period”, he claimed.

However it is worthy to mention here that very recently a review meeting on power sector was held chaired by Power Minister Manik Dey. In the meeting, all the officials of TSECL were asked to focus on providing better power supply to the consumers and better realization of revenue collection.

According to the officials of the state power department the Gas based thermal power plant at Palatana often has to shut down its both the units as a result the power crisis has hit the state.

The largest project in the world registered under the clean development mechanism (CDM) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) had to be shut down several times after it got started its operation of producing power from its first unit. Later after the second unit installed and was launched by PM Narendra Modi have also faces several problems yet today with both the units are now undergoing faults in its turbines.

The problem is persisting even today as a result the entire state is being badly hit due to the power crisis and load shedding. The Palatana Power plant before it started its power production has of course assured for load shedding-free state, but deplorable condition of the plant has brought a major embarrassment for the state govt. here.  

The plant earlier has ensuredthat Assam will get the maximum share of 240 MW of electricity followed by Tripura (196 MW), Meghalaya (79 MW), Manipur (42 MW), Nagaland (27 MW), Mizoram (22 MW) and Arunachal Pradesh (22 MW), while IL & FS and OTPC keep 98 MW. Besides, Tripura govt. has also agreed to give 100MW of power to the neighbouring country Bangladesh from its 196 MW of power

But what makes it interesting is that if Tripura with its 196 MW of power supplies 100 MW of power to Bangladesh, than what would be left with the state to contain its worsening situation due to the scarcity of power and heavy load shedding. Currently the TSECL is unable to meet the demand of power during the peak hour.     

India and Bangladesh have recently this year in a meeting held agreed to open ways for private sector partnership to swap electricity alongside existing government-level cooperation, according to the official the meeting reviewed the progress on Bangladesh's move for import of additional 600 MW power from India, of which 100 MW would come from Tripura's Palatana power project.