ONGC floats global tenders for Tripura thermal project

Agartala -- The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has floated global tenders for its first commercial 750 mw thermal power project to be commissioned in Tripura, officials said here Wednesday.

"The process has begun for the global tendering," an ONGC official said.

The Rs.50 billion co-generation waste heat recovery based giant power project at south Tripura's Palatana, 60 km from here, is expected to be operational by 2009.

"To commission this mega gas based Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP), a joint venture company - 'ONGC Tripura Power Company Private Limited (OTPC)' - was constituted by ONGC, Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) and Government of Tripura," ONGC Tripura Asset Group General Manager R.K. Marya said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the project for which ONGC acquired 197 acres of land in October 2005.

"For best utilisation of natural gas resource in this logistically difficult state, ONGC is setting up this power plant at a cost to monetize the gas potential at Tripura," Marya said.

ONGC started drilling operations in Tripura in 1972 and have since explored 11 of the 19 sites mapped so far.