AGARTALA, March 20 (TIWN): Powered by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) Tripura asset the North East Tripura's 101 MW gas-based Monarchak power plant in Tripura, about 50 km from here; has undergone complete shutdown again due to the gas cut, said official source. Talking to TIWN correspondent, NEEPCO high official said that “We had to shut down the plant again as ONGC had failed to supply required gas for the plant causing a heavy damage to the plant”. However, the official further said that they have informed the issue to Chief Secretary Yash Pal Singh, Power minister Manik Dey seeking their intervention to solve the problems, but so far no action is taken to solve the problems. He also said that on the one hand ONGC claims that they are unable to meet the demand of the gas in the state but is continuously supplying gas to both unit of OTPC Palatana. It is to be mentioned here that ONGC was supposed to resume its gas supply after the routine check up of the gas turbine of NEEPCO but failed to do so as the ONGC could not discover the possibility of gas from its well. The official said, “Also the ONGC authority failed to ensure the gas supply in future and had not brought any commitment so far.”

At present the Monarchak power plant is suffering from a hefty loss as the plant has undergone complete shutdown.

He said that as per the agreement, the ONGC is supposed to supply 0.5 MMSCM per day gas to the plant but the supply has been stopped since February 29.

The Tripura unit of ONGC was supplying gas for the project run by the North East Electrical Power Corporation (NEEPCO), a government undertaking. 

Here it may be noted that TSECL had already inked power purchase agreement with both OTPC and NEEPCO to buy allocated power but this has now turned bleak with power shortage here.

Besides, according to the source of ONGC it has been learnt that the ONGC had been trying hard enough to resume its gas supply to the plant.

The NEEPCO has had a meeting with the ONGC official recently. In the meeting, ONGC surface manager Saugata Sen had clearly said that it would not be possible for the ONGC to supply gas to Monarchak plant before November. Reportedly, the NEEPCO will have to wait till November to resume the production at Monarchak power plant.

According to sources, the NEEPCO authority has already informed it’s headquarter about the disastrous development at Monarchak power plant. “We hope that the government will necessary step to solve the problem of gas crisis from ONGC to NEEPCO.