Petronet LNG terminal at Puthuvype here is likely to be commissioned by March-end or April. A review meeting of the project held here were attended by the company head A.K. Balyan and T.K.A. Nair, advisor to the Prime Minister, and other officials.
The Prime Minister is expected to review the same before a final announcement is made on the commissioning of the project.
Though Petronet LNG has completed the infrastructure for receiving and re-gasifying the liquefied natural gas for supply to commercial and domestic consumers, there are certain other requirements to be met before the project takes off. One of the key issues yet to be finalised is the number of commercial users and the quantum of gas required for them.
While over half a dozen industrial units in and around Kochi have already made agreements with the gas handling company, the entire operation would require much more intake of the gas by various industries. NTPC, Kayamkulam, one of the prospective clients, is yet to make a commitment on using gas for power generation. The agreement requires an undertaking from KSEB to buy the power.
The establishment of the supply line to northern Kerala is also facing problems due to the non-cooperation from a section of the people in certain areas where the pipelines have to be laid.
GAIL India, which is engaged in the laying of the pipeline, has expressed displeasure at the way things are being executed. GAIL Chairman and Managing Director B.C.Tripathi said here on Thursday that the ground reality was different from the official stand adopted by the government.
The company has positioned all necessary material and human resources at all the required stations, but the opposition arising from people at various places contributed to the delay, affecting the commissioning.
