Chennai: Good days seem to be ahead for the state’s power sector. Days after the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) commenced its commercial operations, the third 500 mw unit of the Vallur thermal power station is all set to start sustained power generation before Pongal. According to sources at the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), the third unit has completed the mandatory 72 hours of continuous full capacity operation between December 7 and 10 for achieving commercial operation declaration. “We will declare commercial operation before Pongal as the power demand will go up in the days to come,” said sources.
The state will get 358 mw as its share from the third 500 mw unit at Vallur, which is a joint venture of the NTPC and Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco), once it starts commercial operations. The station has been facing a little coal shortage owing to repairs in the coal pipe conveyor system to transport coal from Ennore port to the power plant, which is 4.4 km away and therefore, the plant had run out of its stock of coal.
“Right now, we wanted to stock coal before starting commercial operation of the third unit,” sources said, adding that all the three units of the plant would be available for generation after Pongal when the demand for power would shoot up.The first and second units are already under commercial operation since November 2012 and August 2013.
The commercial power generation of new power stations will help Tangedco bridge the gap of 1500-2000 mw power deficit during the summer months. Last month, the 1000 mw KKNPP and the 600 mw Coastal Energen Thermal Power projects commenced commercial operations and are supplying 562 mw and 558 mw to the power-starved state grid.
