AGARTALA, July 10 (TIWN): The 101 megawatt gas-based thermal power project at Monarchak in Sipahijala, commissioned by NEEPCO, is ready for generation at any moment, but cannot be made operational due to non-supply of gas by ONGC, an official said today. Talking to TIWN correspondent, NEEPCO GM SR Biswas said that 101 MW gas-based Monarchak power plants in Sipahijala district at Sonamura sub-division has stopped power production after gas supply was stopped from ONGC. He further said that there is no problem with the turbines but it can only run if it gets sufficient amount of gas from ONGC. He also said that recently, NEEPCO and ONGC high official held meeting where it is decided that ONGC will be able to supply gas from December and before that it cannot provide the sufficient amount of gas to run the turbines. Apart from this he also said that with lack of gas supply from ONGC, the power plant is running into heavy losses. Currently, the plant is not making any contribution to the power requirement if the state and the state is being supported by Palatana power generation and the other plants of the state.However, it will take time to resume the power generation and nothing can be said now added NEEPCO official.

The shutdown of Monarchak is a matter of concern for TSECL.The fluency in power generation of 101 MW gas-based thermal projects at Monarchak in Sipahijala district has become uncertain due to some technical faults in the turbines.

The power crisis here in state seems to be a never ending issue. Either, due to lack of maintenance work or lack of gas supply, power generation is continuously hit and the common people are the ultimate sufferer.

Presently all the Power Plants are suffering due to various reasons: whether it would be for maintenance work or insufficient gas supplies. On the other hand Tripura is suffering due to load-shedding, but CM Manik Sarkar kept on promising to supply 100 MW power to Bangladesh.

The project’s foundation stone was laid in March 2002 by Suresh Prabhu, the then power minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government at the centre.

The environment-friendly project was originally slated to be commissioned in 2005. In 2007, the union power ministry abandoned it for a variety of reasons but work resumed in 2010 thanks to the Tripura government’s pressure.