For the first time since its inception, there seems to be hope for the grossly under-producing Bawana gas-based power plant here. The Union government on Thursday offered to supply natural gas to stranded power stations in the city to help them move away from polluting coal-generated electricity.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that natural gas can be supplied to the Bawana plant at a price of USD 7.5-8 per million British thermal unit, which will help generate power at less than Rs. 5-6 per unit. The 1,500 MW Bawana power plant in Delhi has been operating at less than a fifth of its capacity for the past four years. “There is no gas available in the country because of which not just Bawana, but every other gas-based power plant is not able to produce as per its capacity,” said a government official.
Distribution companies in Delhi mostly procure power from coal-based power stations in and around the city, electricity from which is extremely expensive and reflects in power tariffs.
“Switching from the Badarpur plant to cleaner gas-based power from Bawana will help cut pollution more than plying cars by odd-even rule. I am told that switching off the Badarpur plant for one year can cut emissions that will be equivalent to the benefit from the odd-even rule after it is put in place for 18 years,” Mr. Pradhan said while speaking at a function organised to dedicate 36 new CNG dispensing stations in the National Capital Region (NCR).
