AGARTALA, March 21 � Commercial operations at the Monarchak power plant are likely to begin within the next two months with the Tripura Government insisting on an early commissioning to arrest the cost escalation.
The 101-MW power project has been delayed by three to five years due to various reason, escalating the project cost from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1,000 crore.
Though the project has been initiated by the NEEPCO, the State has already inked a deal to buy the entire power to be produced at the Monarchak power plant.
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has already fixed Rs 4.15 as per unit cost of power to be produced at the Monarchak power project, which is quite high compared to TSECL or OTPC power.
Power Minister Manik Dey, who held a meeting in his office on Friday, expressed concern over the escalation of the cost of the Monarchak power plant. NEEPCO Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) PC Pankaj was asked to commission the much-delayed power project at the earliest.
While speaking to media persons, Dey said the NEEPCO authorities have been asked to commission the power plant as early as possible as the escalation of the project cost has already been a major concern of the TSECL.
�We also requested the NEEPCO to re-examine the per unit cost of power to be produced at the Monarchak plant by approaching the CERC. It will be tough for She state to buy power at a higher price since power is available at a lower price here,� Dey said.
Earlier, talking to reporters after the meeting with the Power Minister, the NEEPCO CMD said the ONGC has assured to supply gas by March since it had already conducted repair works on the pipeline.
�If we receive gas, the gas turbine will roll by the next two months,� he said. However, the steam turbine is yet to get ready for operation. After the CMD�s visit, the NEEPCO is gearing up to commission the power project at the earliest.
