AGARTALA, June 21 (TIWN): OTPC 726 MW Power project, Tripura's pride, which is also a signature Project of North Eastern Region with largest investment of Rs. 10,000 crores, but the irony is such that till date the OTPC Palatana power plant has failed to make Tripura a load-shedding free State. Due to problems of either its Unit-I or the Unit-II shutdown under ‘emergency’ frequently, OTPC power was unreliable. “The Unit-I of the OTPC is recently undergoing emergency shutdown,” informed OTPC Managing Director Satyajit Ganguly. When TIWN contacted over phone, Ganguly refused to talk, instead asked to make contact with him only via e-mail. Following this when TIWN later asked the status of the present power generation of OTPC, Ganguly managed to reply, “The Unit-I is under emergency shut-down, whereas the Unit-II is generating as per schedule in the order of 350MW.”“Please appreciate that as per IEGC, the generation is scheduled for the Station and not Unit-wise,” Ganguly, the MD of the OTPC who often have a tendency to contradict the factual media reports said, this in his statement. OTPC MD explained TIWN, “The emergency shutdown of Unit I was to replace the transformer bushing of HV side of Gas Turbine and Steam Turbine in line with recommendation of EPC Contractor. The station is generating around 350-360 MW in line with schedule of NERLDC.

”Ganguly of course managed to state, “The project was taken up to meet the demand of Tripura but also for the demand of the entire North Eastern region.”

But interestingly the Palatana OTPC despite all odds had managed to succeed by its frequent shutdown of both the unit, because as earlier the TSECL CMD Shyamal K Roy talking to TIWN made it clear, “The Palatana OTPC failed to run their both the unit at a time.”

Of course MD Ganguly clarified it again saying, “When we need to shut down our turbine under emergency condition what we can do, at least we cannot take a risk.” But, what made the growth story interesting is that since after the Palatana OTPC was installed and launched it often faced and is facing a frequent shutdown whereas Mr. Ganguly finds it easy to contradict media report.

 He clarified that “OTPC is strictly performing as per grid code in line with the requisition of NER constituents in the order of 350-355 MW”. As per OTPC MD, Plants are not in 'deplorable' condition as mentioned in media. Though, it sounds strange as Plant is unable to generate the full capacity of Unit-I and II to 726 MW.

It is worthy to mention here that The Unit-I of the OTPC at Palatana has undergone shut down on June 15 and June 16 whereas the Unit-II has undergone breakdown, causing a serious trouble to the TSECL and the consumers of the state as the power crisis has hit the state very badly. Asked about the status MD Satyajit Ganguly through e-mail replied, “Both the units has been restored.” But, interestingly so far Mr. Ganguly has only managed to fool the common mass of the state as well as the entire NE region.

Because, Ganguly again on the same reply said, “Unit-II is generating power whereas the Unit-I is undergoing emergency shutdown.”

However, the so called ‘Emergency shutdown’ has so far confused the people as well as brought a major embarrassment for the state government here who are eyeing forward to make the state a power surplus state.  

Now its hightime the State Power Minister, Chief Secretary, Power Secretary summons OTPC higher ups to explain the future delivery schedule of this prestigious plant which was built at the cost of  Rs. 10,000 crores of Indian taxpayers money.