Talwandi Sabo thermal shut down for a month after fire mishap

PATIALA : Talwandi Sabo thermal plant in Mansa District has been shut down following a major fire in the coal handling plant.
According to sources the fire on coal conveyor belt started just after 11PM yesterday night which could not be controlled by plant authorities. At the time of fire two out of three units were running. The conveyor belt system carrying coal from coal handling plant to units has come down following collapse of Transfer junction tower.
The unit no 3 was shut down at 5-47 IS followed by closure of unit no. 1 at 6-51 AM today in morning hours. At the time of fire two units were running and third unit was on forced outage due to less demand.According to a senior PSOPCL official private generator has informed that it will take an about one month to re-erect the collapsed system. Director Generation has deputed a three member team headed by Arun Gupta chief engineer thermal design to visit the site and report the facts.
Immediately on receipt of information about of closure of plant PSPCL authorities immediately lighted up its two units of Ropar thermal Plant to meet the power demand of state. Officials claim one unit at Bhatinda thermal may also be lighted up in the evening.State sector 5 units three at Lehra Mohabatt thermal plant and two at Ropar thermal plant were already in operation at the time of closure of Talwandi Sabo thermal plant. The power demand in the state is about 1206 lakh units and thermal generation was 538 lakh units. Yesterday. Talwandi Sabo supplies 230 lakh units and state thermal units supplied 221 lakh units.