Boiler tube puncture hits power generation at Mettur plant

SALEM: Power generation at the Mettur Thermal Power Station (MTPS) in Salem was affected on Friday after a boiler tube puncture developed in one of the four generating units of the first plant, resulting in the affected unit being taken for repair.

Key points

• Power generation activities at Unit 3 of the MTPS I have been completely halted since September 23 to carry out scheduled annual maintenance work.
• After which power generation from the particular unit was ceased, the boiler tube puncture occurred in the first 210 MW unit in MTPS-I.
• Sources remarked boiler tube punctures have been a recurring problem at the plant, with overheating and the condition of the boilers among the factors contributing to such incidents.

For context, the Mettur Thermal Power Station has two plants – MTPS-I, the first plant comprising four generating units of 210 MW each, and MTPS-II, the expansion plant comprising a single generating unit with a capacity of 600 MW. While the second plant has an installed capacity of 600 MW, taking the combined installed capacity of the station to 1, 440 MW, the first plant has an installed capacity of 840 MW.

After which power generation from the particular unit was ceased, the boiler tube puncture occurred in the first 210 MW unit in MTPS-I. While the remaining units continued to generate power based on their operational status, consequently, the station's overall available generation capacity was reduced by 210 MW.

Sources remarked boiler tube punctures have been a recurring problem at the plant, with overheating and the condition of the boilers among the factors contributing to such incidents. After Friday's puncture, power generation in the affected unit was ceased for a few hours to facilitate repair works. After which operations in the unit resumed and power generation was restored, the repair was completed rapidly.

Meanwhile, power generation activities at Unit 3 of the MTPS I have been completely halted since September 23 to carry out scheduled annual maintenance work. It is projected to last for a total duration of 15 days.

Taken together, the developments around boiler tube puncture hits power generation at Mettur plant point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.