Ratnagiri Gas and Power Pvt Ltd, the NTPC-GAIL joint venture that runs the Dabhol power plant, may have to shut down the project by end of this month due to fuel scarcity.RGPPL, which restarted generation from the plant on May 1 after a five-year gap, is left with just over a week's supply of naphtha and the plant may be closed down after that, company sources told PTI in Mumbai.
The project has used the naphtha that was in stocks when it closed in June 2001. With about 51 days of generation, during which it even touched its maximum capacity for few days, the present stock may last till the end of this month.
"The plant had around 38,000 kilolitre of naphtha lying with it when the project was shut down. Attempts to get additional naphtha failed as work on the unloading facility failed to complete in time. Now, the present stock will last till end of the month," sources said.
The 740 MW block II of the project was revived using naphtha instead of LNG to provide some relief to power draught Maharashtra in summer days.
"The state regularly received around 350 MW electricity from RGPPL. The plant was scheduled to supply power to state grid for 50 days from May 1 at Rs 4.25 per unit. With RGPPL trying to purchase new stock of naphtha, we have to get the regulator's nod before the new rate is finalised," state electricity utility sources said.
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