The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has said on March 30 that a gas swap arrangement between power-surplus Gujarat and gas-starved Andhra Pradesh will help to generate an additional 1,500 mw. Gujarat is power surplus and some of the units are being shut down there. Therefore, if these states agree, it is possible to swap gas and help Andhra Pradesh generate about 1,500 mw with a supply of about 6 to 6.5 mmscmd (million standard cubic metres per day), AS Bakshi, Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority, said.    

Such a move will be beneficial to both the States. While power consumers in Gujarat will continue to get power, an energy deficit State like AP will be able to produce about 1,500 mw. States such as Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh need to agree to such an arrangement, and this is likely within weeks. Thereafter, the Empowered Group of Ministers have to approve the move, he said.    

States in the South are unable to access additional power from other regions due to limitations of the grid in transmitting excess power. This is likely to be sorted out once the new transmission lines, now underway, get commissioned. New lines will enable evacuation of about 2,000 mw of power to the South, he said.