Karnataka considering Enron LNG pipeline, power projects
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

BANGALORE, DECEMBER 15: The State Government is actively considering two projects proposed by the multinational power-generating company Enron: A pipeline to supply Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to Karnataka from Dahbol, and an LNG-based power plant for the State whose location is yet to be decided.

Enron has also evinced interest in investing in the Information Technology and Communication sector in the State, Information Minister B K Chandrashekar told reporters here on Tuesday.

That the company's representatives put up an "impressive" presentation to reveal these plans late last week. Chief Minister S M Krishna and many of his Cabinet colleagues sat through the one-and-a-half-hour presentation.

The pipeline proposed by Enron would begin from Enron's Dahbol plant in Maharashtra and supply LNG to the State for various industrial needs. The pipeline would be four feet under the ground and would not affect agriculture, Chandrashekar said. LNG, which would be compressed 600 times and transported through thepipeline, was "easy to store, totally safe" and "non-toxic".

LNG supplied through the pipeline could be used for any industrial purpose. The multinational was even prepared to set up a power plant fired by the LNG, the Minister said.

Though the cost of the project and the power supplied by it were not discussed, the presentation was based on the study of a 500 MW LNG-based plant, Chandrashekar said.

The State Government asked Enron to prepare concrete proposals for the projects.

Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.