ONGC's 2nd thermal unit at Palatana to be operational by June

Company says this power project can generate one unit of power at Rs 3 only

ONGC's second unit of gas-fired thermal power project at Palatana in Tripura will be operational in June this year, a top company executive said today.

"After the successful operation of the first unit (363 MW) of the power plant, we have set a target of making the second unit operational by June this year. We hope that the second unit start generation before the target time," Managing Director of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation - Tripura Power Company (OTPC) S K Dubey told reporters.

He expressed apprehension that transmission of the full load of power would be a problem if the Palatana plant could not be connected to the national power grid at Bongaigaon.

"660 KM long transmission line from the plant to Burnihat in Meghalaya through Silchar in Assam was completed by which power from the first unit could be catered to other states of the north-east. But the work for the 400 KV double circuit high tension line up to Bongaigaon from Burnihat is pending due to forest clearance," he said.

Dubey said Palatana power project is the most sought-after gas plant in the country which can generate one unit of power at Rs 3 only.

If the central government decides to sell power to Bangladesh, High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) line needs to be drawn and that is not an easy task, he said.

Dubey further said the total project cost is Rs 4,000 crore, of which Rs 3,000 crore has already been spent and the annual turnover per year from the project would be around Rs 1,600 crore.

Palatana is an environment friendly project and would soon make notification for carbon trading, he said adding, it will apply to UNFCC for carbon trading licence.

Assam will get the maximum share of 240 MW, followed by Tripura (196 MW), Meghalaya (79 MW), Manipur (42 MW), Nagaland (27 MW), Mizoram (22 MW) and Arunachal Pradesh (22 MW).