The Hindu : National : Decks cleared for revival of Dabhol power plant

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Tuesday, May 08, 2007
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National

Decks cleared for revival of Dabhol power plant

Special Correspondent

First stretch of pipeline commissioned

— Photo: Special Arrangement

ON COURSE: Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora inspecting the pipeline laying activity of Dahej-Panvel-Dabhol pipeline of GAIL at Kankarkari near Surat on Monday.

NEW DELHI: The first stretch of the Dahej-Panvel-Dabhol gas pipeline from Dahej to Surat, was commissioned on Monday by Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora.

It cleared the decks for the revival of the controversial Dabhol power project, now known as the Ratnagiri Gas and Power Private Limited (RGPPL), by June end. The commissioning of the pipeline will provide much relief to the entire region facing severe power shortage.

The efforts of Mr. Deora and cooperation of the Gujarat Government led to the commissioning of the first phase of the project after work was stopped by the Gujarat Government few days ago directing the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) to wind up their operations.

The project has been labelled as a project of national importance.

The 100-km Dajhej-Surat stretch was commissioned by Mr. Deora in Dahej in the presence of his deputy Dinsha Patel, GAIL Chairman U.D. Choubey, Joint Secretary (Petroleum) D.N. Narsimharaju, and Director (Projects) Santosh Kumar.

Earlier, Mr. Deora inspected the pipeline laying work at Surat, which had faced some difficulties. With this, decks have been cleared for resumption of work on a 12-km stretch of the pipeline in Chourasiya in Surat district.

GAIL is laying a 576-km-long Dahej-Panvel-Dabhol pipeline at a cost of Rs.3,200 crore. The pipeline has a design capacity of 12 million standard cubic metres per day and will carry R-LNG from Petronet LNG Limited's LNG terminal at Dahej to Dabhol. This, on completion, will supply natural gas to the Dabhol power plant.

The inter-state gas pipeline will link the two important gas markets of Gujarat and Maharashtra. Currently, the gas market in Gujarat has access to five different gas supply sources; the South Bassein fields; the Panna-Mukta Tapti Field; the Lakshmi fields; the Dahej RLNG and the Shell RLNG.

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