The state would get 387 MW as its share from the power project
The first 500 MW unit of this thermal plant was scheduled to be commissioned in March 2012 and second unit in August 2012. (Photo: DC/File)
Chennai: The delay in commissioning of the 1,000 MW NLC Tamil Nadu Power Ltd (NTPL) in Thoothukudi, a joint venture project between NLC and TNEB, has brought back power outages in the state.
When the state government lifted all the power restriction measures imposed in the state from June 1 this year, it pinned its hope on the commissioning of NTPL in August among others to meet the power shortage in the post wind power season.
The state would get 387 MW as its share from the power project. However, the joint venture project missed the deadline once again and Tangedco restored power cut for HT industries and commercial consumers since Tuesday.
The first 500 MW unit of this thermal plant was scheduled to be commissioned in March 2012 and second unit in August 2012.
Till date both units were not yet synchronised with the grid even after missing the commissioning schedule by 30 months and 25 months respectively. The deadlines were postponed several times in the last two years and latest being from August to October and November to March 2015 for the first and second units respectively.
Sources in NTPL attributed the project delay to shortage of skilled labourers for timely commissiong of the two units.
“All power projects across the country are facing delay. Contractors are finding it difficult to mobilise required manpower, particularly skilled labourers to stick to the project deadline,” sources pointed out.
Besides, the delay was also due to change in design of foundation of main plant site and finalisation of civil contractors for the two unit- thermal plant in Thoothukudi, the official said.
At present, the work on Unit-I have reached the advanced stage of commissioning, sources said, adding that pre-synchronisation testing and inspection works were being carried out.
“We are hopeful of synchronising the Unit-I with grid very soon,” the official said, without committing on any particular date by which it would be done.
A senior Tangedco official said that they have taken up the issue of delay in commissioning of the thermal units with NLC several times but to no avail.
“If both the units of the joint venture project starts generation, it will help bring down power shortage in the state to a extent following fall in wind generation drastically,” the official said.
( Source : dc )
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