Six gas-based power plants sitting idle in Andhra Pradesh

Shortage of gas from Reliance D-6 has affected plants operated by GMR, Lanco and GVK among others

As many as six gas-based power plants, including those operated by GMR, Lanco and GVK, with combined capacity of more than 2000 MW in Andhra Pradesh have stopped operations due to shortage of gas from Krishna-Godavari basin, a senior state government official has said.

The plants sitting idle due to shortage of gas are: GMR’s Vemagiri (370 MW) and barge-mounted (237 MW), GVK’s Jegrupadu Extension (220 MW) and Gauthami (464 MW), Konaseema Gas Power (445 MW) and Lanco’s Kondapalli Stage-II (366 MW).

"All the power plants that are dependent on natural gas supplies from Reliance D-6 are impacted. Some plants are operating with the gas supplies from ONGC or GAIL. Gas supplies from D-6 completely have completely stopped," the official told PTI.

When contacted a Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) spokesperson said they have no role in gas allocation.

"RIL has been supplying gas according to the allocation policy of the government and it is not for us to decide whom to supply gas," the RIL spokesperson said.

Industry sources had said earlier that natural gas supplies from RIL's KG-D6 block to power plants have completely stopped after output from the eastern offshore fields dropped to an all-time low.

Beginning March 1, none of the 25 power plants that were allocated gas from KG-D6 fields are getting any supplies, sources had said.

According to the official, other power plants - Vijjeswaram gas, Lanco Kondapalli stage-I, Spectrum and GVK’s Jegurupadu-I are being operated with minimum gas supplies from ONGC or GAIL.

"The power generation fluctuates from day to day. The last supply we received from D-6 was about 0.4 mmscmd," the state official said.

According to official reports, the gas-based power plants in the state are generating power to an extent of 700 MW as against the installed capacity of 2700 MW. Thus, there is an idle capacity of around 2000 MW.

The State is facing acute power crisis due to the sharp decline in power production, resulting in shortage of nearly 60 million units per day.

When contacted a GMR spokesperson declined to comment, while Lanco officials could not be reached.

However, sources in Lanco said Kondapalli Stage-I (368 MW) is getting gas from GAIL, but gas supplies for Stage-II were stopped.

GMR's Barge mounted gas-based power plant was originally commissioned at Mangalore in 2001. After operating with naphtha as fuel till April 2010, the barge was moved to Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh in July 2010, where it has been modified and commissioned to operate on natural gas.

The GMR Group’s Vemagiri plant commenced commercial operation in February 2008. The plant was initially allocated gas from GAIL and later changed to RIL D-6.

GVK’s two power plants stopped power production.

While Jegurupadu Extension and Gauthami were completely shut down, Jegurupadu is operating with roughly 50% capacity.

Script with regard to Hydel power generation in the state is same as that of gas-based plants.

The state has installed capacity of 3,925 MW and is producing just about 500 MW.