AGARTALA, Nov 15 (TIWN): Powered by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), Tripura's 101 MW gas-based Monarchak power plant has undergone complete shutdown due to lack of supply of gas from ONGC. Unable to get the required supply of gas from ONGC, Monarchak is facing a daily loss of Rs 17lakh which monthly stands at around 5 crore. Reportedly, ONGC has stopped the supply of gas from ONGC, resulting, ONGC facing a loss of huge amount of money. Since October 16, ONGC has stopped gas supply, resulting, the complete shutdown of power generation at Monarchak. A loss of about Rs 17lakh is reported on a daily basis due to the cut down of supply of gas from ONGC. However, seeing such a deplorable condition of Monarchak due to breakdown in supply of gas from ONGC, NEEPCO is looking forward to take legal steps in the coming days.The sources claimed that the new unit of Monarchak has the stability to generate a unit of 100 MW of power but due to the cut down of the gas from ONGC since October 16 has completely stopped the power generation at Monarchak unit.

Reportedly, The ONGC has started supplying gas from October 5 to Monarchak power plant and Monarchak was able to produce a power of 37 MW to around 60 MW round the clock till Oct 16 but the sudden crisis of gas supply from ONGC since Oct 16 has disrupted the power generation.

However, the 101 MW gas-based Monarchak power plant in Sipahijala district at Sonamura sub-division has stopped power production after ONGC has stopped gas supply to Monarchak power plant.

According to the highly placed official source, currently the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has stopped its gas supply to Monarchak power plant as both the Palatana power unit has started power generation in full swing. The sources also confirmed that as ONGC has stopped supplying gas to the plant it could not continue power production for last many days.

The ONGC official further confirmed that as the Palatana power unit was undergoing shutdown, ONGC had supplied the gas to Monarchak from October 5 and continued supplying gas till October 16.  However, the sudden gas cut has shut down the power production at Monarchak power plant.

There is a huge scarcity of gas at Monarchak power plant following which the plant is incurring a huge loss at present.

When Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) pipes the gas to Palatana OTPC plant to get their both the units run as a result the scarcity comes up in Monarchak plant.

Run by North East Electrical Power Corporation (NEEPCO), government undertaking gas based power plant at Monarchak at Tripura Sonamura Sub division is currently facing a loss with its power production as the government of Tripura run Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd. (TSECL) is reluctant to buy power from the plant due to high power cost as compared to other power plants in Tripura.