The unit 11 (1X500 MW) at Kothagudem Thermal Power Station (KTPS) in Palvancha tripped on Sunday evening owing to short supply of coal on account of the flash strike launched by the employees owing allegiance to the AP Power Electricity Employees JAC in the morning.
Over 4,000 employees including engineers and contract workers of the KTPS went on a flash strike on Sunday morning as part of the State-wide call given by the JAC to press for its charter of demands including immediate implementation of the pay revision.
The engineers staged a demonstration under the aegis of the Telangana Vidyut Engineers Association (TVEA) general secretary N Bhaskar in front of the KPTS complex in Palvancha in the morning. They vowed to continue the stir till the government concedes their long pending demands.
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According to sources, the power generation in the entire KTPS complex has come down to 1100 MW as against its power generating capacity of 1720 MW due to the flash strike by the employees from early hours of the day.
The power generation in the units of KTPS’s V and VI stages has also been affected for want of coal due to the strike by the workers of the coal conveyor system in the station.
The power situation may turn precarious if the strike continued on Monday, sources said.
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Meanwhile, the KTPS authorities are exploring alternative options like use of heavy fuel oil in some of the units to ensure uninterrupted power generation.
The unit 11 of the KTPS’s stage VI was hand-tripped due to short supply of coal in view of the flash strike by the employees, said M Siddaiah, Chief Engineer, Stage VI, KTPS.
"We are closely monitoring the situation arising out of the flash strike and taking appropriate steps like use of heavy fuel oil to overcome the short supply of coal in some of the units," he said.