The 450 km natural gas pipeline connecting Mangaluru, Karnataka, and Kochi, Kerala, was officially opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2021. One Nation One Gas Grid’s formation has reached a significant turning point with this event. Since then, the project has been in discussion because this initiative aims to provide stability and better gas connective across the nation.
Why in News?
The development of the nation’s natural gas infrastructure and the implementation of the “One Nation One Gas Grid” are priorities in the effort to increase the proportion of natural gas in the primary energy mix, according to the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Rameswar Teli, in a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
What exactly is the initiative?
“One Nation, One Gas Grid” refers to the joining of several regional grids, creating a national grid, and supplying multiple stakeholders, including the central government, state governments, the public sector, and the commercial sector, with natural gas-produced energy.
Natural gas-based energy can be produced and distributed throughout the entire country on a single gas system. Given that there is now very little natural gas available across the nation, it will aid in reducing the regional disparity in gas availability.
What steps is the government taking to carry out this project?
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is the organisation responsible for approving the construction of pipelines, and a 33,500 km network of natural gas pipelines has been authorised nationwide.
Out of this, there are natural gas pipelines totaling 21,715 km that are in operation, while another 13,605 km worth are in various phases of construction.
Continual efforts are made to expand pipeline infrastructure based on assessments of regional gas demand.
The projects are being carried out in accordance with the schedules PNGRB approved.
The Annexure contains information about common carrier natural gas pipelines that are both in operation and under development.