HYDERABAD: The state government is pinning hopes on the regassified liquid natural gas (RLNG) to be supplied to the state so that some relief could be given to the industrial sector which has been starved of power.
According to sources, an agreement between GAIL and the RIL for supply of at least 2.5 mmcdmd of RLNG could be signed in about three days. As the agriculture demand is at its peak and the generation from hydel stations having taken a hit, the power utilities were unable to meet the ever rising power requirement.
According to official information the actual power generation capacity through hydel stations was 20 MU in the state but they were producing only 10 MU at present due to lack of water in Srisailam and Sileru reservoirs. Already, there is a power cut in the state ranging from two to 10 hours.
The worst affected are villages where there is no power for 10 hours at a stretch followed by six hours in mandal headquarters, four hours in district headquarters and two hours in big towns and the state capital.
According to APTransco GAIL would be able to supply about 2.5 mmscmd of RLNG after the agreement is signed. For this government would have to shell out Rs 105 crore for March and April.
The 2.5 mmscmd gas will be able to generate 200 MW of power.
The 200 MW power that would be generated will be supplied to small scale industries which are facing severe power crisis. It is learnt that the state government had sought supply of KG basin gas as it becomes cheaper.
The problem of scarcity of power has arisen on account of drastic reduction in production of gas at the KG basin. There are nine gas-based projects in the state with an installed capacity of 2,772 MW but they are generating only 1,500 MW and RIL’s gas production went down to 49 per cent of the requirement.
APTransco said the supply would be a bit stretched till the middle of April since the power utilities would get a relief from the agriculture sector as by then rabi would have been over. Of the total power generated in the state, the agriculture sector consumes 30 per cent of it, an official said