KOCHI: The first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) powered power plant of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is likely to come up at Brahmapuran near Kakkanad. The Rs 110 crore LNG powered 40 Mega Watt power plant will be built by Wartsila India. The power plant is likely to be completed by early 2017. Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) will be supplying LNG for the new power plant from the Petronet LNG Terminal at Puthuvype.
It is learnt that KSEB has also applied for domestic natural gas supply for the power plant. The Brahmapuram plant has a total of five machines with a capacity to generate 20 MW power each. However, only three machines at the plant are in working condition now.
“As the pipeline from the LNG Terminal at Puthuvype passes near Brahmapuram we can use the fuel till we get domestic supply of natural gas. Also the power generation cost is too low when compared to other fuels,” said a KSEB official familiar with the development. The new power plant requires 20 lakh cubic feet of LNG per day. KSEB points out that when natural gas is used, the cost of power will be less than Rs 5 per unit considering the low cost of LNG now. If diesel is used as fuel, the power generation cost will be Rs 6.50 per unit. The board has also plans to construct a 400-MW liquefied natural gas (LNG)-based combined cycle power project on the premises of the existing power plant at Brahmapuram. Hyderabad-based agency Bhagavathy Analabs is preparing an Environmental Impact Assessment study on the project.
State government had allotted Rs 59 crore in the last budget for all the natural gas based power plants in the state. Altogether, the state dreams to generate power to the tune of around 5,300 megawatt(MW) using natural gas, no time period has been set for the same. The proposed mega power plants in the state using natural gas as fuel, are expansion of the Kayamkulam NTPC (1,950MW), Puthuvype (1,200MW) Cheemeni project (1,200MW), Brahmapuram Combined Cycle Plant (400MW), conversion of Kayamkulam NTPC (360MW), Brahmapuram Diesel Power Plant (40MW) and the BSES Naphtha Power Plant at Eloor (157MW). The estimated investment for these projects is around Rs 30,000 crore.
Green Power
■ First LNG powered power plant of KSEB is likely to come up at Brahmapuran
■ The Rs 110 crore LNG powered 40 Mega Watt power plant will be built by Wartsila India
■ The power plant is likely to be completed by early 2017
■ GAIL will be supplying LNG for the new power plant from the Petronet LNG Terminal
■ KSEB has also applied for domestic natural gas supply for the power plant
■ Brahmapuram plant has a total of five machines with a capacity to generate 20 MW power each
■ Only three machines at the plant are in working condition now
■ The new power plant requires 20 lakh cubic feet of LNG per day
■ The cost of power will be less than Rs 5 per unit considering the low cost of LNG
■ KSEB plans to construct a 400-MW LNG-based combined cycle power project on the premises of the existing power plant at Brahmapuram
■ Hyderabad-based agency Bhagavathy Analabs is preparing an Environmental Impact Assessment study on the project
■ Government allotted Rs 59 crore for all the natural gas based power plants in the state