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Southern Grid connectivity to help NTPC utilise idle capacity

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">NTPC plans to activate its idle capacity to generate some 7,000 mw of electricity to make the most of a new grid that connects power transmission systems in south India to the rest of the country. &nbsp;NTPC officials said at least 5,000 mw of power capacity was lying idle at the country&#39;s largest power company entire last year due to lack of demand from state utilities. The connection of the southern grid to the national network with effect from January 1 will help NTPC utilise this capacity as power demand from southern states have always remained high, they said. So long the southern grid was a standalone power distribution system and NTPC could not route power from its plants to the region.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">&quot;From January 1, the southern grid has been connected to the national grid and power flow of about 200-300 mw has started on a trial basis. This will slowly pick up in the next few months,&quot; said a senior official of a load dispatch centre of the national power grid. NTPC also plans to activate another 2000 mw generation capacity lying idle due to non-availability of gas. &quot;Some 2000 mw can be generated from the station which is now lying idle due to non-availability of gas at the right price,&quot; an NTPC official said.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">The new grid will allow the stateowned company to pick up generation at its Ratnagiri Thermal Power Station. &quot;Ratnagiri can afford to produce if it gets gas at the price offered by the KGD6 gas block,&quot; the official said, adding, &quot;If buyers are ready to pay increased power price from the station we could produce with costlier gas too.&quot;</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Source-On Request</span></span></span></p>