Centre offers gas supply to stranded power stations

Ahead of the second-phase of odd-even rule for plying of cars in national Capital, the Union government on Thursday offered to supply natural gas to the city’s stranded power stations to help switch from polluting coal generated electricity.

Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the natural gas can be supplied to the Bawana power plant at a price of $7.5-8 per million British thermal unit, that will help generate power at less than Rs 5-6 per unit Delhi pays for getting electricity from the coal-based Badarpur power station.

“Switching from Badarpur to cleaner gas-based power from Bawana will help cut pollution much more than plying cars by odd-even rule. I am told switching off Badarpur for one year can save on emissions benefits equivalent to 18 years from odd-even plying of cars,” he said. Pradhan was speaking at a function organised to dedicate 36 new CNG dispensing stations in the national Capital Region (NCR). The 1,500 MW Bawana power plant in Delhi operates at less than a fifth of its capacity for the past four years. The plant was to be commissioned before the 2010 Commonwealth Games but was delayed by an year.