THOOTHUKUDI
The third unit of Tuticorin Thermal Power Station (TTPS) suffered a breakdown following a minor steam leak around 10 p.m. on Tuesday. A team of experts rectified the problem and the unit was ready to resume power generation at 10.20 p.m. on Wednesday.
However, load despatch centre authorities directed TTPS administration to keep the third unit on standby as energy sourced from wind mills went up considerably.
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The authorities were drawing more wind energy and reducing coal-based thermal power generation for the time being, sources told
The fourth unit of the TTPS was under 15-day overhauling. The unit was expected to resume power generation on June 29 or the next day. Each of the five TTPS units had a generation capacity of 210 MW, sources said.
Due to water scarcity, the TTPS had been using water sourced locally to run the units. The power station authorities were pinning their hope on rainfall to tide over water problem. Now, over 500 kilolitres of demineralised water was being drawn from NTPL plant every day. Besides, raw water was being brought through tankers, sources added.
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On Wednesday, 2,350 MW of wind power was generated by the windmills in Aralvaimozhi, Muppandal, Shencottah and Kayathar areas, sources in Tirunelveli Circle of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, TANGEDCO, said.