4200 MW DVC projects for CWG slips beyond games schedule

Patiala: 4200 MW Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) power projects that were supposed to be commissioned before the Common Wealth Games have slipped beyond the games schedule because of non professional management.

Padamjit Singh Chairman All India power Engineers Federation in a press statement issued today alleged that all the projects associated with common wealth games have been delayed because of failure of DVC management to properly monitor and expedite the progress of its ongoing projects.

250 MW units no 7 & 8 of DVC Chandrapura thermal power stations have already been delayed by over three years and still there is no sign of bringing these units into commercial operation. Further the construction work of unit no. 7 suffered a serious setback on May 7 when this unit was accidentally / erroneously energized from the 220 KV grid when the unit was not running but in standstill condition. This mal operation may result in damaging of its turbine.

This mishap has occurred because DVC failed to train and deploy the requisite man power at thermal project. Padamjit said that AIPEF had all along stressed from the beginning that this DVC projects would not be able to provide power to Delhi for the Common Wealth Games.

Central Electricity Authority has hopefully maintained that that the first 500 MW unit of Mejia Phase –II would be commissioned in August whereas the second unit can not come before January 2011.

As regards the other DVC projects that were supposed to be commissioned before the Common Wealth Games the latest Broad Status statement of CEA has indicated that 500 MW Koderma –I500 MW Koderma –II ,500 MW Durgapur –I ,and 500 MW Durgapur –II would be commissioned only in 2011. 2 units each of 600 MW at Raghunathpur has now been scheduled for 2012 only.

AIPEF in a letter to the Secretary /Power govt. of India stressed that it was primarily a management failure on part of DVC Chairman. S. Biswas that the trained man power was not deployed at Chandrapura which resulted in the accident of 07th May.

The AIPEF has further cautioned the Ministry that in case the Chairman DVC continues to neglect the manpower requirements the ongoingprojects such as Mejia Phase II would be seriously compromised and subject to risk of accident / damage. The intervention of the Ministry of Power has been sought so that the proper manpower is arranged for the generationprojects of DVC particularly as it is a statutory requirement.