Power supply on blink as GAIL cuts gas supply to Yelahanka plant

Bengaluru: Production at Yelahanka Gas Power Plant in North Bengaluru — which is seen as a crucial backup to manage peak electricity loads in the city between December and April — will take a hit with Gas Authority of India deciding to halt gas supply to the unit from Wednesday.The state's first gas-based power plant has been generating 370 MW of electricity daily for the Bengaluru grid since September 2024. The plant will shut operations from Wednesday following suspension of gas supply, according to officials from Karnataka Power Corporation.Allaying fears of a crisis, Gaurav Gupta, additional chief secretary of the energy department, said the govt was fully prepared to handle this "unforeseen" situation. "The govt has put in place enough measures, including barter of energy from other states, including Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, to meet the surging demand," he said.Sources confirmed the ongoing crisis in West Asia has affected gas availability. "GAIL authorities expressed difficulty in supplying gas to the power station until further notice, as they put in place a policy or protocol prioritising domestic and other users. The supply will be cut off from Wednesday," explained an official from the energy department.Officials said GAIL would supply gas on priority to domestic consumers, fertiliser industry, commercial establishments, automobiles, industries and power plants.Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) purchased power from the Yelahanka plant at about ₹8 per kWh, despite the higher cost, to support the city's growing demand. Of the plant's 370 MW installed capacity, 236.82 MW is generated through a gas turbine and 133.22 MW through a steam turbine generator. The facility produced roughly 2,600 to 2,700 million units of electricity annually at 85% plant load factor. "In the absence of gas supply, we have to shut the plant just like any other thermal plant which is closed due to outages. This will not impact Bengaluru as its load would be met through other plants, including thermal and hydel plants, along with abundant renewable energy during summer months," said an engineer.MSID:: 129403415 413 |