Dabhol to continue using naphtha

New Delhi: The Centre plans to operate two units of the Dabhol power project on naphtha until it obtains gas next year, the Union Power Minister, Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde, said. The Dabhol project, now re-christened as Ratnagiri Gas and Power Pvt Ltd, currently operates a 740 MW generating unit on naphtha. A second 740 MW unit is expected to be operational by June while a third 670 MW unit is likely to be ready for operation by the year's end. The project plans to shift to gas as fuel from expensive naphtha, a move that has been delayed on account of a key pipeline to carry gas to the plant is still to be completed by GAIL India Ltd, on of the key equity holders in the project.