AGARTALA, August 21 (TIWN): The Tripura government is still in tussle with the North East Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) run Monarchak power plant in regard of the power cost and had finally sought the centre’s intervention to bring down the cost from Rs.4 per unit.

“We oppose the very high power cost of Monarchak power plant because this has got to be impossible for the government to buy power from the plant on such high cost,” said Power Minister Manik Dey.

He said, “We had already sought help from Central Electricity Regularisation Committee (CERC) to bring down the cost.” Adding to that Minister pointed out we had an agreement of Rs. 426 crore with the Monarchak power plant but the cost of power has gradually increased due to the jump of project cost.

Earlier the project cost of the plant was Rs. 400 crore which has now increased to Rs. 1100 crore due to which the power cost has also increased, he said. “We are unable to buy power at present from the plant until the power cost is brought down,” Dey clarified in view of the agreement signed earlier.

Earlier a meeting was held at Guwahati in this regard where the state government run Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) authority along with the Monarchak plant authority remained present. “This issue is yet on discussion stage currently,” Dey said.

Besides, on the sideline of another issue Minister Manik dey said, “There is a huge scarcity of gas at Monarchak power plant following which the plant is incurring a hige loss at present.”

He said that when Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) pipes the gas to Palatana OTPC plant to get their both the unit run the scarcity comes up in Monarchak plant. “The ONGC was already asked to restore their gas supply and ensure sufficient gas to Monarchak,” Dey said.

Run by North East Electrical Power Corporation (NEEPCO), government undertaking gas based power plant at Monarchak at Tripura Sonamura Sub division is currently facing a loss with its power production as the government of Tripura run Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd. (TSECL) is reluctant to buy power from the plant due to high power cost as compared to other power plants in Tripura.