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Govt okays Mizoram power project, ONGC's co-generation plan

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved for execution the Rs 3.68 billion 60 MW (two 30 MW units) Tuirial hydro electric project in Mizoram by the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation.

The project cost includes Rs 210.3 million interest during construction at the June 1997 price level.

This project had been included in the ''new initiatives'' for north eastern region announced by the prime minister in October 1996 and is also part of the Shukla Committee's recommendations for the development of the region.

The project would generate 240.89 million units of hydro power, including firm and secondary generation, and go a long way in meeting substantially the power demands of Mizoram as well as the region as a whole.

The CCEA, at its meeting today, also approved the ONGC's proposal for setting up ''additional co-generation facilities'' at Uran.

The Uran process complex of ONGC is situated on the west coast about 60 km from Bombay.

At least, 20 MMTPA oil and about eleven million standard cubic meters per day of gas produced from various fields of Bombay offshore area are processed at the Uran complex.

Power and steam are two critical inputs for this plant. Design requirement of steam for various plants Uran is in excess of the present capacity.

The steam requirement has to be met by captive generation since it cannot be procured from any alternative source.

Additional co-generation facilities are to be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 1.17 billion at June 1997 prices.

Implementation of the project will yield 90 mt of steam at design capacity and 19.2 mw of captive power.

Both steam and power are a technological necessity for processing oil and gas at Uran complex of ONGC.

The CCEA also approved the Rs 2.02 billion Tuticorin Port Capital Dredging Project.

The project cost also includes Rs 157.7 million of capital interest and foreign exchange component of Rs 633.8 million.

The proposal is to deepen the approach channel and the harbour basin areas at Tuticorn Port to 10.70 m draught from the present allowable draught of 8.24 m in the port.

After dredging the capacity of the port will go up from 8.25 million tonnes to 11.65 million tonnes.

The CCEA also directed the ministry concerned to examine the possibility of further deepening the port.

UNI