Dabhol project could act as back-up for renewable power

Maharashtra may not have a plan to buy power from the beleaguered Dabhol project in the near future but the state is looking at the possibility of using a part of its capacity as back-up for renewable power.

The state is planning to enhance installed capacity for renewable energy to 21,100 Mw over the next five years, from 6,700 Mw at present, with more than 50 per cent, or 7,500 mw to be added from solar power alone. Another 5,000 Mw would be added from wind energy.

Due to the unpredictable nature of green power, large procurers like government-owned distribution companies keep ready fall-back capacity.

When 1,967-Mw Dabhol project was planned, along with two other power plants - Reliance's Patalganga and Mittal's Bhadravati - it was contracted for high plant load factor, which meant that they would have been used by the state governments for base-load capacity.

According to the Madhav Godbole Committee set up by the Maharashtra government in 1995 to inquire into in allegations surrounding the Dabhol plant, the capacity available then in Maharashtra was largely base-load. The three plants were, therefore, wrongly planned for base-load capacity, the committee had noted. Gas-based and hydropower plants are typically designed as peaking power plants. But in India, power plants are not designed to cater to peak load. "It's not that gas-based power plant can only cater to peak load. A case in point is Mahagenco's Uran project, which works as base-load. Peak load plants are open-cycle but combined cycle plants, like Dabhol, that use gas turbines and steam, are meant for base-load," said the official.

SEARCHING FOR POWER BUYERS

Configuration

• Three blocks have two gas turbines and one steam turbine each
• Block I has 640 Mw, Blocks II and III 663.54 Mw capacity

Plan A: Railways has agreed to offtake of 500 Mw at following locations

• Maharashtra: 250 Mw
• West Bengal: 100 Mw
• Jharkhand: 100 Mw
• Gujarat: 50 Mw

Plan B: Maharashtra uses it as a back-up for renewable power