Vallur thermal plant closer to commissioning

CHENNAI: The TNEB Limited-NTPC joint venture thermal power station at Vallur is one step closer to commissioning. The installation of the massive 200-ton generator is all set to happen in about a week. The generator that will produce the electricity is scheduled to reach the plant in a day or two from a BHEL facility in Haridwar.According to sources, the work for commissioning the first unit (1 x 500 MW) of the 1,500 MW thermal plant is on at a  fast pace. The first unit is scheduled to be operational by December. It would produce 500 MW of electricity to the power-starved State.The major task of providing a multi-circuit overhead line (400KV) linking the plant with the Nellore-Alamathy-Sriperumbudur 400 KV double circuit transmission line has been successfully completed.The testing of all major and auxiliary equipment individually is underway. Heavy equipment like boiler and auxiliaries, including boiler feed pump, cooling water pump, induced and forced draft fans, are on a test run. The next step would be to collectively evaluate the performance of the machinery that belong to various functional groups.Explaining the process, an official said that each equipment belonged to a specific system like the air, fuel, water and coal handling. All the systems would need to work together in perfect cohesion to produce power. “This would be ensured first individually and then collectively.” As soon as the generator arrives, it will be installed, tested and linked to the other systems.The conveyor system, that would bring coal to the plant site from the Ennore port, is in the final stages of completion. “An additional dedicated berth is being made available for the joint venture thermal plant and the North Chennai thermal station (1,200 MW).”