Tripura begins conversion of gas-based thermal plant to double power production

By  Firstdespatch Desk   Aug 11, 2023

Agartala, Aug 11 (FD) The Tripura government has embarked on an ambitious project to enhance power production by converting a gas-based thermal power plant into a combined-cycle facility.

The Rokhia gas-based thermal plant, currently producing 63 MW of power daily, will be upgraded to generate around 120 MW of power while utilizing the same quantity of natural gas. This transformation aims to modernize the plant's operations and increase its efficiency.

The Managing Director of Tripura State Electricity Corporation (TSECL), Debasish Sarkar, said the significance of this move in light of the diminishing feasibility of power generation through burning natural gas. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has pledged Rs 845.36 crore for this project.

While the tender for the conversion has been completed, the government is actively seeking environmental clearance from the Centre to proceed. The state's focus on expanding power generation also extends to plans for converting the Barmura gas-based thermal power plant into a combined cycle facility.

However, financial obstacles remain a challenge for this endeavor.

Tripura has experienced a significant increase in consumers over the past five years, with enrollment growing to 9.71 lakh. Despite this growth, the state's electricity consumption currently stands at 330 MW daily out of the total available supply of 505 MW. Additionally, the TSECL exports about 200 MW of power to Bangladesh.

The state has models for success in power generation with the ONGC Tripura Power Corporation (OTPC) operates a 726 MW combined cycle power plant and NEEPCO managing a 101 MW power plant, both contributing to the region's energy landscape. FD SB

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