Toll rises to two in NLC thermal plant mishap

Executive engineer suspended as probe points to human negligence as cause

With the death of Sivalingam (56), a contractor, in Chennai hospital on Wednesday night the death toll in the mishap that occurred recently in one of the units of the Thermal Power Station-I of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation rose to two.

The condition of NLC executive engineer Krishnamurthy, also in a Chennai hospital, is said to be critical, as he is reported to have suffered multiple-organ failure.

Abishek, a graduate trainee engineer who is undergoing treatment in the same hospital, is said to be progressing.

Two contract workmen, Jyothi and Ramalingam who suffered minor injuries, were discharged after overnight stay in a Puducherry hospital.

NLC Chief Manager (Mechanical — TPS-I) Selvaraj who sustained grievous injuries died on the spot.

The incident occurred on May 20 which happened to be the 58th Raising Day of NLC, forcing the management to cancel the celebrations scheduled for the day.

Soon after the incident NLC Chairman-cum-Managing Director B. Surender Mohan constituted a committee, comprising executives, to enquire into the cause of the mishap.

Engineer suspended

The probe committee submitted its findings to the NLC management on Wednesday. In the report the committee pinpointed human failure/negligence as the sole cause for the mishap.

On the basis of the clinching evidence obtained by the committee through physical verification and examination of witnesses the management has placed under suspension Velusamy, an executive engineer, and taken disciplinary action against another engineer (whose name is not revealed).

Negligent handling

It was stated that the mishandling of the valve in the steam pipe linked to the high pressure heater, which had built up intense heat and heavy pressure, led to such a tragedy.

Russian built unit

Therefore, the age of the unit, which was about five decades old, could not be faulted.

The life of the Russian built unit was extended after duly carrying out the “residual life assessment” and scrupulously adhering to the maintenance aspects, the sources said.

Under utilisation

Meanwhile, the NLC management has taken conscious decision to under utilise the installed capacity of 600MW of the TPS-I plant.

It has six units of 50MW each and three units of 100MW each.

The ill-fated seventh unit (100-MW capacity) has been shut down.

The power generation as a whole in the TPS-I has now been curtailed to about half of its installed capacity, ie, around 300MW, sources added.