Electricity generation from Dabhol power plant has dipped by over 14 per cent following reduction in gas supply to the unit.
The total requirement of regassified-LNG for operation of Block number 2 and 3 at base load is 5.7 million standard cubic meters per day. However from December 14, suppliers of RLNG -- GAIL, Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum -- are supplying only 4.506 mmscmd.
"The sudden reduction in RLNG supply is adversely affecting generation. From December 14, the power generation has reduced to about 1,080 MW from 1,260 MW and if full supply of gas is not resumed, the generation is going to reduce further," a government official said.
The reason for cut in gas supplies was not immediately known as Petronet LNG Ltd, the company importing liquefied natural gas for Dabhol power plant, stating that it had not reduced the flow of gas to GAIL.
Petronet has arranged 1.5 million tons of LNG from Qatar for Dabhol plant till December 2008.
The cut in power generation at Dabhol has come as a rude shock to Maharashtra that is currently facing an acute power situation with peak shortage of more than 4,500 MW. The load shedding in urban areas of the state ranges between 3-7 hours and in rural areas between 11-13 hours.
The official said two out of the three power blocks at the plant are presently operational. The third is likely to get on stream in February 2008 when gas requirement would rise further.