UDAIPUR, May 31 (TIWN): The Performance Guarantee Test(PGT) of the Unit-I of the OTPC's 726.6MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine(CCGT) Thermal Power Plant in Palatana begins ultimately after the experts and technicians of BHEL have successfully completed the preparation ahead of the PGT.

The cleaning and rectification of Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG), Steam Turbine , Gas Turbine, Gas Booster Compressors and the crucial equipments have been done under 24×7 hours observation of the specialists engineers of BHEL's Hyderabad and Bengaluru units, told a top level BHEL engineer. With this development,frequent power cuts too ending and bringing a sigh of relief to the people of the state. It is to be mentioned that due to the routine PGT of the Unit-I Complete Shutdown in Palatana began from the midnight of 17th May leading to severe power shortage in Tripura and in some parts of Assam. The PGT started at around 4pm as soon as the preparation completed. At around 4.30pm Synchronization was done ( connectivity with the Power Grid) but due to some minor problems plant suffered shutdown again. However, it was rectified in the evening.
Again at 7 pm once again synchronization was done and with this power generation begins in this mega power plant after 15 days. The BHEL engineers under the instruction of specialist engineers of PGT are now conducting the PGT. A BHEL engineer told TIWN over phone that if there arises no technical snag the PGT will be completed by the evening of Tuesday early morning. He said that PGT is conducted in full load generation but in this case gradually the load will be increased. At 9 pm the generation reached 13MW and 3 MW was supplied to to the National Power Grid ,Bongaingaon (OTPC keeps 10MW for its internal requirements).
According to TIWN sources in the OTPC by 1 am (Saturday midnight) BHEL will increase the load upto full load capacity(363.3mw max) and by then 325-340 mw will be supplied to the Power Grid. Thus, it means that states like Tripura and Assam that suffered badly from power crunch, are now in a position to overcome the crisis. It was 14 days prolonged and frequent power cuts. The sources also add that the PGT will take two to three days to complete. And during this process power generation will remain uninterrupted and most of the time in full load. After the completion of the PGT the BHEL will group up to initiate commissioning of the Unit-II of this mega plant.