THOOTHUKUDI
There was no power generation in Tuticorin Thermal Power Station (TTPS) for more than 8 hours on Monday as all the five units, each having the generation capacity of 210 MW, fell silent due to technical snag and two of them had been on standby mode due to surplus power generation from wind turbine generators.
Sources in the TTPS said Unit V of TTPS, commissioned in March 1991, was under “maintenance” since December last and is waiting indefinitely for the arrival of spares from Punjab. The TTPS officials cite COVID-19 outbreak as the reason behind the delay in getting the spares from northwestern Indian State.
However, the low demand for power saved the TANGEDCO from embarrassing situations and COVID-19-induced lockdown further brought down the demand drastically with the industrial units across the State were forced to stop production.
As power generation by the wind turbine generators increased phenomenally from May onwards in the meanwhile, the TANGEDO could easily bridge the gap between demand and supply. Buoyed by the comfortable situation, the TTPS started its scheduled 2-week-long annual overhauling of Unit IV, commissioned in February 1992, on July 6.
Moreover, Units I and III of TTPS, commissioned in July 1979 and April 1982 respectively, were put on standby mode due to surplus power generation by the windmills. While Unit I was on standby mode since Friday (July 10), Unit III was also stopped last Sunday after supply from windmills to TANGEDCO’s grids increased sharply.
Against this backdrop, Unit II, commissioned in December 1980, tripped in the early hours of Monday forcing the officials to start Unit III, one of the two units remaining idle, which was synchronized with the grid at 11.12 a.m.
“So, little over 8 hours, there was no power generation at TTPS,” said the sources.
While the technical snag in Unit II would be fixed within two days, Unit I, now standby mode, is ready for power generation anytime and hence there is no need for panic”, the sources added.
At the same time, Unit V will be ready for power generation only after getting the vital spares from Punjab which is likely to consume another 30 days or so.
