Gail, Uttarakhand to set up two gas-based power plants

The Uttarakhand government today said it was setting up two gas-based plants of 500 Mw each in collaboration the Gas Authority of India (Gail).

Under the plan, both Garhwal and Kumaon regions would have one plant each. “It is our commitment that we will set up two gas-based power plants with the help of GAIL,” said Devendra Bhasin, Chairman of the state media advisory committee. The power through these plants would be used mainly for industrial usages. For this purpose, the government has already urged the centre to supply 3 million metric standard cubic meter per day of gas to the hill state.

Following recent talks between GAIL Chairman and Managing Director B C Tripathi and Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank here, the government is optimistic that gas pipelines of GAIL would be extended to the state which is facing acute power shortage.

GAIL has agreed to bring gas to Garhwal region from Dadri-Bhatinda pipleline from Saharanpur side. This pipeline can be extended to Haridwar where gas-based power plants can also be established. Similarly, the GAIL’s gas project via Karanpur and Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh to the two industrial towns of Rudrapur and Kashipur is likely to give a tremendous boost to hundreds of existing industries in Kumaon region which are facing power shortage.

The government also sees vast scope for private developers to set up such plants in both Garhwal and Kumaon region.

This would also give further flip to industrialisation in the region as vast notified industrial land is still available there.

The power demand in the state, which is presently hovering around 26 to 27 million units, is likely to grow by 10 to 15 per cent every year due to urbanization and industrialisation in the state.

The State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarankhand , a state government enterprise, which has developed several industrial estates, had signed an agreement with GAIL to give a push to gas-based energy projects.