Natural gas loses industrial buyers as liquid fuels turn cheaper
New Delhi: City gas distributors are finding it increasingly difficult to acquire new industrial and commercial customers as natural gas remains costlier than competing liquid fuels.
In the first half of this financial year, new factory connections fell 39% year-on-year, while additions in the commercial segment declined 17%, according to data published by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board. City gas companies added only 555 new industrial customers and 1,599 commercial customers during April-September. Commercial customers include hotels, restaurants, malls and hospitals.
