Tripura to convert Rokhia gas-based thermal plant to combined cycle power generation plant
Agartala, Aug 11: The Tripura government has initiated a comprehensive process to convert a gas-based thermal power plant to a combined cycle plant to double the power production, a senior official said on Friday.
At present, Rokhia gas-based thermal plant run by Tripura State Electricity Corporation (TSECL) in Sepahijala district produces 63 MW of power daily.
"We want to produce around 120 MW power by using the same quantity of natural gas by converting Rukhia power plant from open cycle to combined cycle power generation plant", TSECL MD, Debasish Sarkar told PTI.
Claiming that the power generation of the Rokhia power plant will double after the conversion process, he said the move has been initiated to increase the productivity of the project.
"Currently, power is being produced by burning natural gas which is no longer a feasible business. If the plant is modernised (combined cycle), the productivity will be around 120 MW. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provide Rs 845.36 crore for the facelift of the power plant", he said.
Noting that the tender for converting the power plant into a combined cycle has already been done, the TSECL MD said the government is trying hard to get environmental clearance from the Centre to push the plan.
According to Sarkar, the state has also planned to convert Barmura gas-based thermal power plant into a combined cycle to increase power generation, but funding appears a major hurdle to undertake the facelift plan. Steps have also been taken to modernise the Gumati hydroelectric power project, only hydroelectric power generation as part of increasing power generation.
In the last five years, the state has witnessed a steep increase in consumers with 2.25 lakh new enrollment. The state's total number of consumers now is 9.71 lakh.
The northeastern state's electricity demand stands at 505 MW while its supply is around 505 MW from all sources and the state consumes only 330 MW daily. The TSECL exports around 200 MW of power to Bangladesh.
ONGC Tripura Power Corporation (OTPC) is successfully running a 726 MW combined cycle power plant in Gumati district's Palatana and NEEPCO is managing a 101 MW power plant in Sepahijala district's Monarchak.
