Punjab Newsline
Black flags greet Chairman PSEB on his visit to Ropar thermal Plant
VINOD KUMAR GUPTA
Thursday, 12 March 2009
ROPAR: Black flags greeted HS Brar Chairman PSEB when he visited the Ropar Thermal Plant Thursday to assess the damage due to fire incidence which resulted in the closure of unit no. 6.

RTP employees union held a black flag demonstration against the Chairman PSEB on a call given by the employees joint action committee of the board. Chairman was visibly annoyed at the happening of this incidence.

HS Brar remained at the plant for more than two hours and discussed the matter with plant authorities. The unit no. 6 which was shut down due to a yet another major fire on March 10 is not likely to resume generation for next ten days.

According to sources the fire broke out Tuesday afternoon and damaged more than 400 cables on boiler side from 18 meter to 40 meter. Member Generation G S Sra had visited the plant on Tuesday evening to assess the damage.

PSEB would be suffering a financial loss of more than Rs. 15 crore to the closure of this unit as it would take about 10 days to replace the burnt cables and synchronize the unit. This also includes generation loss. The unit was generating 50 lakh units daily worth Rs. 1.5 crore.

According to sources this is the fourth incidence of fire in stage III. Earlier unit no 5 remained closed for about one month when a major fire broke out in cable gallery on June 15 last. Fire incidences had also occurred earlier on May 16 and August 29 last year resulting in tripping of unit. The cause of fire is the same in all the cases.

According to a senior plant official the continuous emission of coal dust from coal mills and resultant accumulation of coal dust on steam pipes and cables due to poor maintenance is the likely cause of fire. The accumulated coal dust on steam pipes coupled with steam leakage heats up the ash and falling red hot ash on cables below causes smoldering in cables resulting in fire incidences