ONGC power project in Tripura to run on Bangladesh gas
September 2010

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) power plant in Tripura will be run on gas supplied by Bangladesh. THE first unit of 726 MW power plant is coming up at Palatana, 60 kms from Agartala, along the Bangladesh border. Bangladesh has proven gas reserves of 8.4 trillion cubic feet. The first unit is expected to start generating electricity by December and the second one by March next year, ONGC Chairman RS Sharma has been quoted as saying. The Palatana power project involving transmission links and gas pipelines would bring in investments of around rupees 90 billion, the largest ever single investment in northeastern region. Heavy machinery for the project was transported through Bangladesh through the Ashuganj river port on the Meghna river. The project is expected to generate excess capacity, and a part of the power thus generated is planned to be sold to Bangladesh to meet its energy needs.