Talcher: In what will prove to have a major impact on the power sector in the state, Talcher Thermal Power Station (TTPS), which generates 460MW of electricity daily, is set to close down by 2021. This was announced by the plant’s general manager Ram Kuber at a press conference here Friday.
“The project has been built on a design which is now outdated. It was initially supposed to run for 25 years but it has been in operation for more than 50 years, far outliving its tenure,” said Kuber.
“In keeping with guidelines of the Central government and Central Electricity Authority, the coal-based power generation project will be shut down by 2021,” Kuber added.
Currently, eight kg of coal is burnt to produce one unit of electricity while with the use of new technology, only six kg of coal is required to generate one unit.
“As per the Central government guidelines, the project will be shut down in 2021,” Kuber said.
In the first phase, four power units with capacity of 60 MW will be built while two other units with capacity of 110MW will be put in place. Two more units with capacity of 660 MW will be set up, he added.
He exuded hope that in the current financial year, the public hearing on the new project will be completed.
In 2015-16, TTPS had come in at top slot at the all-India level in power production. Its power load factor was 93.15 per cent.
By September 2016-17, this project was in the second position at the all-India level in power generation.
Electricity generation was hit at the project in the current month for three days as coal supply was paralysed. Even one unit had to be halted.
However, power generation was restored to normal by Thursday evening, he added.
To maintain clean environment, the management has decided to plant 21,500 saplings while 16,500 sampling have already been planted in the area, Kuber added. PNN
