CMD pulls up officials for low plant load factor at thermal units

According to Tangedco sources, the CMD chaired the review meeting on the performance of the thermal power station last week and expressed concern over the poor scoring of the power plants. After the meeting, the chief engineer of the Mechanical wing, thermal stations have sent a note on the instructions given by the CMD and the steps to be taken by the chief engineers of the thermal power stations.

According to it, the CEs of the thermal power stations should discuss with the load despatch centre on the issue of low PLF so as to keep the thermal units as baseload stations to facilitate improvement of PLF. Plant Load Factor is the ratio of average energy supplied for a given time period to the energy that could have been supplied at maximum loading condition for the same time period. The CMD has directed the thermal units to improve their performance on par with the best performing units.

“Forced outage should be minimised. At present, the unit-tripping reports and unit synchronising reports are furnished. In addition, a detailed report on the remedial measures on equipment in which forced outages occurred, major work carried out earlier in that equipment and other important works carried out during forced shutdown should be furnished to the CE, Mechanical Thermal Station, after every forced outage,” it said. Boiler Tube puncture should be avoided by carrying out required preventive checks, adopting the normal operating procedure and maintenance activities, it added.

Trade unions in Tangedco have long been alleging that the utility’s own thermal power plants are being shut down while power is being procured from private companies at a high cost.