Centre assures gas supply for Delhi power projects

New Delhi, May 9 (UNI) Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Murli Deora has assured allocation of sufficient gas from Panna-Mukta-Tapti (PMT) Gas Fields for power projects in Delhi.

According to an official spokesman, Mr Deora assured Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who called on him today, that the gas supply would start by September next year.

GAIL would help Delhi in procurement of gas from PMT gas fields as it would be generating 5 Million Metric Standard Cubic Meters per Day (MMSCMD) gas out of which two MMSCMD has already been sold out, the minister said.

The gas would be supplied through Dadri pipeline and there would be no problem in providing linkage up to Pragati power plant.

Hence the requirement of 1.7 MMSCMD gas for Delhi for its Pragati phase-II project would most likely be met from PMT gas fields, he said.

Mr Deora assured that gas requirements for power projects here would be considered on priority to enable Delhi Government to meet the power requirements during Commonwealth Games.

He also requested Delhi Government to consider options of purchase of LNG and procurement of gas from Krishna-Godavri basin in 2008.

The Chief Minister sought an allocation of 1.7 MMSCMD gas for Delhi's first gas turbine unit of Pragati phase-II project which is scheduled to be operational by December 2007.

The Delhi government had decided to set up combined cycle gas based power plant of 350 MW Pragati power project phase-II near the existing Pragati power station and 1000 MW power project at Bawana, keeping in view the ensuing Commonwealth Games in 2010, she said.

Landlocked Delhi is endowed with no natural resources of coal, hydel etc. and thus gas-based power plant is the only feasible solution available with the capital, she said. Coal-based power station cannot be added in the city due to environmental concerns.

Delhi, therefore, needs to be given preferential treatment during allocation of gas from the existing and upcoming gas fields coming up both in the private and public sectors, she said.

The first stage of the Bawana Project may come up in 2009-10 and the remaining stages by 2010-11. The gas requirements for the Bawana Project would be about 5 MMSCMD, she informed the minister.

Union Minister of State for Petroleum Dinsha Patel, Union Petroleum Secretary M S Srinivasan, senior officials from GAIL and Delhi Government's Principal Secretary (Power) Rakesh Mehta were also present on the occasion.

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