AGARTALA, June 16 (TIWN): OTPC Palatana's lackluster power generation performance, unable to fulfill long awaited dreams of Tripura people to witness a load-shedding free, power-surplus state. "Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd. (TSECL) is facing serious problem in getting power from the Palatana OTPC power plant as the plant is undergoing maintenance with the Unit-I shutdown and the Unit-II faced a breakdown", said TSECL Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) Shyamal K Roy on Monday. When contacted OTPC CMD Satyajit Ganguly agreeing to the fact said, “We have mobilized our experts to restore the Unit-II as soon as possible. I hope that we would be able to bring the situation under control very soon."TSECL CMD S K Roy said to TIWN, “We are supposed to get 90 MW of power from OTPC Palatana power plant as per the agreement, but due to some technical problems at the plant we are unable to bring the power from it.” Adding to that, Roy expressing displeasure over the interrupted power generation from the plant said, “This has caused a major loss for the TSECL because we are unable to meet the demand of the power across the state.”However clarifying the remark of the TSECL CMD, OTPC CMD Satyajit Ganguly said to TIWN, “At present the Unit-II of the plant is undergoing maintenance as the unit was found tripped.” He also clarified, “When the unit tripped off it occurs some internal problems and it takes time to move inside as the temperature remains high.” “We are hopeful that the faults would be restored very soon,” adding Ganguly said, “The power from the plant augment shortfall not only in the state of Tripura but also in the North Eastern Region despite all odds".

He maintained that as per Indian Electricity Grid Code, a plant is supposed to generate as per schedule only and not based on its capacity. Secondly, the Unit- I of OTPC is under emergency shutdown to replace the bushing of HV side Generator/transformer of steam turbine generator and Gas Turbine Generator, in line with suggestion of manufacturer. It may be noted that this emergency shutdown has also been discussed in regional forum and approval of the forum was taken before the shutdown.

However, later Ganguly talking to TIWN said, “Despite all odds and heavy rainfall the experts are working days and nights to restore the system inside the plant that tripped recently.” OTPC is planning to restore the system very soon, Ganguly added.

Now the fact is , At the initial level also OTPC  embarrassed the state when President of India Pranab Mukherjee came to dedicate the 1st unit. On the previous night of commissioning it had stopped generation and it was for the fourth time in two months. OTPC had failed to bring sufficient equipped manpower to handle such a mega project rather procured inexperienced engineers on recommendation of political quarters that results uncertainty.

OTPC’s inefficiency in managerial performance and they never paid due attention to the project despite repeated request from the state govt and as result, the project commissioning got delayed by more than 18 months. At trial Palatana could not ever reach to it’s targeted generation 363 MW and even before finalization of the commissioning by President of India,

When OTPC had blamed ONGC engineers for waste materials coming with natural gas in the gas booster had led to suspension of power generation during a trial run of unit one in 2013, ONGC accused OTPC for mishandling the project instruments and stated that the gas line was supposed to be wash by distil water instead it was charged with mud water and damage the entire system.

OTPC, Palatna the biggest power plant of its kind was setup in the North eastern state of Tripura with an aim to make the state load shedding free. But what makes the story interesting is that yet today since after its setup the Left ruled state has failed to receive enough power from Palatana power plant to meet the demands.

But the real entity for the state yet today facing power crisis has come to limelight, with the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd. (TSECL) is allegedly reluctant to buy additional power from the Palatana power plant, as a result power shortage has hit the state in summer's peak season.

According to the highly placed source of the power department,  TSECL some way or other refused to buy power from the plant more than 70 MW.

Here it may be noted that TSECL had inked power purchase agreement with both OTPC and NEEPCO to buy allocated power but this has now turned bleak to the power condition of the state; frequent load shedding across Tripura in this summer season causing enormous sufferings for State's population.