Load test of first unit of Palatana project in Tripura held up

Though the first unit of the 726 MW gas-based thermal power project at Palatana in South Tripura is ready for commercial production, a full load test could not be done because of a legal hurdle.
"The full load test could not be done because a land owner at Byrnihat in Meghalaya has filed a case recently demanding compensation for erection of a tower on his land," said S K Dubey, Managing Director of ONGC Tripura Power Corporation.
A 660 km power transmission line has been drawn from Palatana to Byrnihat in Meghalaya via Silchar for distribution of power to other Northeastern states.

The Guwahati High Court had on February 19 asked authorities of Ri-Bhoi district in Meghalaya to assess the compensation for the land, Dubey told reporters.
Following the high court's order another case was filed in the Supreme Court for early settlement, he said.
"In our plea to the Supreme court we have agreed to pay the compensation as decided by the court, but we sought the apex court's intervention for giving us permission for transmission," Dubey said.

He said, when the impasse was sorted out full load testing and trial run could be undertaken and after that commercial run would be possible.

He said, the second unit of the Palatan project would be ready for generation by August.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had laid the foundation for the project in 2005.