India scours globe for bargain LNG as domestic plants idle

India is scouting for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) contracts globally as part of a push to secure cheap supplies for its under-utilised gas-fired power plants. Australia, Qatar and Iran could all act as potential suppliers of long-term LNG contracts, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said in Sydney on Thursday. The global search for LNG comes as India’s gas-fired plants, which can generate nearly 25 GW of power, run at less than a quarter of their capacity because of a shortage of the fuel at affordable prices.