PSEB inks pact with Gail for 1000 MW gas power plant at Ropar
GAGANDEEP AHUJA
Saturday, 29 August 2009
PATIALA: Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has entered in a head off agreement with Gas authority of India for suppling of Gas for setting up 1000 MW power plant at Ropar.

Gurmel Singh Sra, member generation told Punjabnewsline.com that PSEB had decided to shift its plan to setup gas power project from Doraha in Ludhiana district to in the in the existing premises of Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant (GGSSTP), Ropar.

He however said that agreement was signed last week with the GAIL officials last week by the board officials. He said that tender has been issued for inviting Bids for rendering consultancy and Services for Lump Sum work on Turnkey basis for obtaining the environmental clearance and no objection certificate (NOC) from Ministry of E&F, Government of India and Punjab Pollution Control Board.

GAIL India Limited this time did not want any equity in the proposed 1000mw- gas-based Punjab Electricity Board (PSEB) power plant.

GAIL (India) Limited and the Punjab State Electricity Board have recently signed a heads of agreement (HOA) for the supply of 4.5mmscmd (million metric standard cubic meters per day) of natural gas for the proposed mega power project. The project is likely to be commissioned by 20012-14 at an estimated cost of Rs 4,500 crore.
The gas for the proposed thermal plant would be available from Dadri-Nangal gas pipeline, being laid by the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL). Work on the gas pipeline is likely to be completed by next year.

The Punjab government has also reportedly urged the Union Petroleum Ministry to expedite construction of the pipeline and allocate gas for its power projects. The government had earlier proposed to set up a gas-based thermal plant at Doraha in the private sector.

However, it reportedly shelved the idea due to the high price of land and preferred to set up the plant in the public sector.