Tripura again plunged into electricity crisis as state’s prime gas based power plant at Palatana in south Tripura faced serious mechanical snags – second time in past two months. The plant of ONGC Tripura Power Corporation (OTPC) is again going for a shut down for two weeks for repairing and performance test.
Tripura state electricity corporation (TSECL) is now under constraint to enforce frequent load shedding to deal with shortage of power available from 363 MW capacitated first unit of the Palatana plant. Commissioning of second unit of proposed 726 MW project is uncertain.
An engineer of the General Engineers Company has arrived here from Kerala to help the OTPC roll its turbine at Palatana, but he too suggested for complete repairing to get the things right. Sources said the plant is likely to go for shut down for two weeks from August 3.
“The shutdown depends on decision of the NERPC (Northeast Regional Power Committee). There is a proposal for shutdown for 12 to 13 days”, OTPC Plant General Manager Mukul Banerjee told The Hindu on Tuesday.
Frequent shutdowns and under target generation worried the authorities as talks through diplomatic channels are on the final shape to export 100MW electricity to Bangladesh from Palatana plant. Survey work and modalities completed to install grid connectivity between two countries.
