GAIL to import LNG before Ratnagiri gets fully functional by '10

New Delhi, Nov 21 (UNI) State-run power transmission and distribution firm GAIL (India) Ltd today said it will import liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the Ratnagiri Gas and Power Pvt Ltd (RGPPL), formerly Dabhol, till it gets fully operational by 2010.

The government had mandated the PSU to meet the gas requirement for its Ratnagiri power plant from September 2009.

''The plant will be fully operational by March-April 2010.

Till then we will import the LNG spot cargo,'' company's Chairman and Managing Director U B Choubey told reporters here on the sidelines of Seventh Annual Conference of Gas in India.

He, however, did not divulge as to where Gail intends to import the LNG from.

Dr Choubey said the LNG terminal of the gas-fired power plant could partially run on a load of 25-30 per cent by April-May next year.

The LNG is equivalent to 80 million standard cubic metre (MMSCM) of natural gas.

The GAIL-NTPC joint venture, which owns the 2,150 MW Ratnagiri power plant, has two units running and currently generating 1,260 MW.

Dr Choubey said the largest natural gas transportation firm will go for borrowing of up to Rs 7,000-Rs 8,000 crore in the next four years from the domestic and overseas market to partially fund its pipeline expansion plan of 12,000 km that will require Rs 20,000 crore.

The pipeline infrastructure will be completed in two phases - the first phase is to be completed by 2009 and the second one by 2011-12, he said.

The proposed pipelines are Dadri-Bawana-Nangal pipeline, Chainsa-Gurgaon-Jhajjar-Hissar, Jagdishpur-Haldia, Dabhol-Bangalore, and Kochi-Kanjirkkod-Bangalore/Mangalore pipeline.

UNI