Power output hit at KTPP

WARANGAL: Power generation was stalled for six hours in the 500-MW Kakatiya Thermal Power Project near Chelpur in Ghanapuram mandal from 5 a.m. on Wednesday morning.Finding a technical snag in the turbine, the project engineers stalled production. It was resumed around 11.56 a.m. after rectifying the snag. At KTPP, generation of power is getting interrupted frequently and the engineers are not willing to disclose the reasons behind it. Since 2009 when the project started functioning, power generation was stalled many times due to technical snags or faulty equipment and this has become a headache to the AP Genco officials.There are many allegations about the quality of the equipment in the project. The Genco officials have been expressing dissatisfaction with the machines supplied by the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). According to sources, the Genco and BHEL officials had arguments on the quality of the equipment supplied to KTPP several times.Moreover, the quality of coal being supplied to the project is also creating trouble. The engineers have been complaining of problems whenever coal from Bhupalpalli mines is being supplied to the project. The D-grade coal from the mines is also diminishing power production. Officials had identified that production was going beyond 500 MW, the project’s capacity, if coals from Godavarikhani in Karimnagar district or Illandu in Khammam district was being used. But there is no proper transportation facility   to the KTPP.There is no railway line to the project. So coal is brought to Uppal in Karimnagar district in goods train and then brought to the project in trucks from there. The Genco officials had identified the need for the railway line but expressed helplessness as it is not in their purview.