The 726 MW gas-based thermal power project at Palatana in Gomati district of Tripura has started generation, official sources said here on Tuesday.
“We have started generation on trial basis and 40 MW to 50 MW power is being generated since Monday night. The first unit of the plant is now capable of generating 363 MW power,” the official said.
“The stage is set for generation because ONGC, which has the major share in the project, have charged gas on trial basis and we have also rotated the turbine on trial basis,” the official said.
He said when full fledge generation would be started Tripura would be a power surplus state and all the north eastern states would be supplied power from this plant.
“A 400-KV high transmission power line has been drawn up to Silchar in Assam from the plant to connect with Bongaigaon national grid,” the official said.
The power project is owned by ONGC, Tripura government and Infrastructure Leasing and financial service (IL&FS) company.
Sources said Tripura has huge recoverable reserve of natural gas but a very small portion of the gas was being used commercially due to lack of industry and added with the generation of power maximum quantity of gas would now be used.