Tripura's Rukhia Power Plant to add 120 MW using new gas turbine technology: Minister

Agartala, Nov 11 (IANS) In a major push to boost power generation amid a natural gas shortage, the Tripura government will introduce Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) technology at the Rukhia Power Plant in Sepahijala district, increasing its generation capacity by 120 megawatt (MW).

Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath said on Monday that the foundation stone and Bhumi Pujan for the project will be held on November 26.

Nath, who also holds the Agriculture portfolio, said that despite the ongoing gas crisis, the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) has initiated measures to ensure an uninterrupted power supply to the consumers by adopting modern and efficient technology at the Rukhia thermal power plant.

“In 2017-18, the actual installed capacity of the Rukhia Power Plant was 63 MW, but only 40 MW was generated. A similar level of output continued in 2018-19. In 2019-20, despite the gas crisis, we managed to generate 56 MW of power. However, the plant had to be shut down in 2022-23 due to pending environmental clearance,” Nath said.

He added that the issue was resolved after he personally took up the matter with central ministers and officials and secured the required clearances.

Highlighting the benefits of the new technology, Nath said, “With the Combined Cycle Gas Turbine system, we will be able to generate 120 MW of power using the same quantity of gas. Although gas prices remain high in the international market, this technology will ensure higher efficiency.”

The project is estimated to cost around Rs 1,119 crore (excluding GST). The minister also underlined that since natural gas is a depleting resource, the state government is simultaneously giving thrust to solar energy to diversify its energy base.

Tripura, one of the electricity-surplus states in the Northeast region, is keen to supply power to Nepal.

Power Minister Nath had earlier stated that a plan is underway to export power from Tripura to Nepal, and a meeting was recently held in New Delhi, after which the Central government will take the final call.

Though Tripura does not share a border with Nepal, the Himalayan nation shares a 1,751 km-long border with five Indian states -- Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Tripura, which shares an 856 km border with Bangladesh, is currently supplying over 100 MW of electricity to the neighbouring country.

Tripura started supplying 100 MW of power to Bangladesh from the state-owned ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC) power plant in southern Tripura’s Gomati district in March 2016. The electric supply to Bangladesh sometimes goes up to 160 MW, an official of the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) said.

--IANS

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