Insufficient gas makes 4500 Mw captive capacity idle in Gujarat

Govt seeks adequate gas for power plants.

Around 4,500 Mw of installed captive capacity in Gujarat is lying idle due to shortage of gas.

“Gas allocation and supply to gas-based power projects in the state are not sufficient. More than 4,500 Mw captive installed capacity is at present underutilised due to this,” said Saurabh Patel, state energy and petrochemicals minister.

The minister also expressed this concern at the power ministers' conference in New Delhi a few days ago. “Gujarat has 23 per cent of its installed capacity based on gas, the highest in the country. The Government of India has allocated gas from the KG basin at 60 per cent plant load factor (PLF), as a result huge capacity remains unutilised,” he added.

In the wake of problems faced by power generators, the state government has urged the Union power ministry to ask agencies concerned to allocate adequate quantum of gas for not only the existing but also the upcoming power plants in the state.

“Utilisation of this idle captive capacity will not only be cost-effective but will also improve the power situation in the country,” Patel said.

Talking about the other main issues discussed at the conference, Patel said he had informed the Union power minister that coal allocation and supply to power projects in the state were also inadequate. Even after allocation of coal according to the Annual Contracted Capacity system, the state is facing a shortage of 1.1 million tonne per annum.

“In order to ensure optimum utilisation of power projects, the Annual Contracted Capacity needs to be enhanced by the coal ministry,” the minister had suggested.