In a bid to save time, the Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS) authorities have decided to take up Unit-3 — which stopped operation after its 220 kV generator transformer was almost destroyed in a fire accident on Saturday evening — for annual maintenance in advance. The annual maintenance of the Unit-3, with a capacity of 210 MW, was originally scheduled for July.
This would prevent shutting down the unit again in July.
According to sources in Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd., the Unit-2 with a capacity of 210 MW was supposed to be taken up for renovation and modernisation in June first week, which could take minimum 120 days. However, the RTPS authorities have decided to postpone its renovation and modernisation and instead take up annual overhauling work at Unit-3 immediately.
“Since the Unit-3 is already shut down, we will take it up for annual overhauling, which would take a minimum 20 days. Once it is ready, we will install the generator transformer of Unit-2 in Unit-3, as both of them use 220 kV generators and resume power generation. After that, we will shut Unit-2 for 120 days for renovation and modernisation and meanwhile arrange another generator transformer for Unit-2,” Mr. Venugopal C., Executive Director of RTPS, told The Hindu on Monday.
He hoped that the shutting down of an unit in RTPS now would not impact the power supply in the State considering the diminished demand for power, especially from thermal power stations.
“The State is presently getting good quantity of energy from wind source. Besides, the pre-monsoon rain has caused surge in hydel energy generation and lowered the demand from thermal source. Shutting down of an unit in RTPS would therefore not adversely impact,” Mr. Venugopal said.
Unit-3 stopped operation after its 220 kV generator transformer was almost destroyed
in a fire accident
on Saturday
