From Our Correspondent
AGARTALA: After a long wait, the OTPC has started power generation at Palatana power plant in Gomoti district of Tripura though it twin turbines are running on ‘experimental basis’, according to top officials.
The two turbines- gas and steam were put on operation on October 22 after conducting a thorough checking of the BHEL and OTPC officials.
The OTPC, a joint venture with ONGC has major share, started operating turbines of first unit.
However, it could not supply more than 40 MW power to the state grid as Northeast Power Transmission Company Ltd (NEPTC) has not given green signal to evacuate power more than 40 MW from the Palatana project.
On Thursday, around 70 MW power was supplied from Palatana. While Gas Turbine produces 30 MW, the Steam Turbine supplies 40 MW power, said an OTPC official who is actively associated with the project here on Friday.
“The running of twin turbines of first unit is nothing but a test-run and it will continue till October 31. If the test run appears normal, then the OTPC will consider the formal inauguration of the 726 MG power plant”, said he.
The 400 KV power transmission line has already been erected from Palatana to Bongaigoan via Silchar to evacuate power to outside the state from the plant. However, the OTPC has not got approval from the Power Grid Corporation Ltd and Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to transmit the power from Palatana. A meeting on evacuation power is scheduled to be held in Delhi very shortly.
The estimate cost of the 726 MW project would be Rs 7,500 crore though initially the estimated cost was projected to be Rs 3500 crore.
Managing Director of OTPC SK Dubey said, the first unit (363 MW) of Palatana would be fully functional very shortly with the authority expecting to get clearance from Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and Power Grid Corporation Ltd soon.