BHEL responsible for mishap at Chandrapura Thermal Project: AIPEF

Vinod Kumar Gupta
Saturday, 29 May 2010
PATIALA: All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) has alleged that BHEL is mainly responsible for mishap occurred on May 7 resulting in damage to rotor of unit no. 7 and other electrical equipments at Chandarpura Thermal Project.

AIPEF has sought the intervention of Secretary Power P Umashankar so that BHEL can use the rotor of Unit 8 to run unit 7 as unit 8 is highly incomplete and in no condition to be commissioned.

Padamjit Singh Chairman AIPEF said that the non- commissioning of the local back up protection scheme by BHEL was a major contributory factor leading to damage of rotor of unit. It had asked BHEL to mobilize its resources and personnel on war footing to commission the 250 MW Chandarpura Thermal unit 7 of Damodar Valley Corporation. The power from unit no. 7 and 8 is meant for common wealth games.

The mishap took place at Chandarpura thermal project unit 7 when the 220 KV supply from the station bus was accidentally / erroneously given to unit, which was in stationary condition. This mal operation resulted in motoring of the unit. This function not only subjected the generator stator, generator rotor as well as generator transformer to a severe electrical and thermal shock / stress, it also resulted in speeding up of the turbine portion. This accident has given a serious setback to the commissioning programme as this unit is already delayed by over 3 years and the damage to generator rotor would require its replacement.

AIPEF in a letter to B P Rao CMD BHEL has asked him to use rotor of unit no.8 in unit no. 7 to speed up the commissioning of unit at Chandarpura Thermal Project. The work of unit no. 8 is in different stages of construction and new rotor could be used there at later stage.

Padamjit Singh has requested CMD BHEL to institute an enquiry into the accident that occurred on May 7 .He further said the time gap between the first synchronizing of Chandarpura unit 7 on January 6 2009 and the date of mishap is far too excessive. During this period of 16 Months BHEL should have attended the pending points of the 220 KV sub station such as commissioning of LBB protection scheme and isolators interlocking scheme. These works in fact should have been completed before synchronization of unit.

Padamjit said that since the unit 7 got damaged while BHEL was carrying out pending works on the sub station of this unit, the responsibility for replacement of damaged rotor should be of on the part of BHEL free of cost. DVC is likely to suffer a financial loss estimated at Rs 2 crore per day due to loss of generation from this unit.

Further DVC management has grossly neglected the manpower and training aspects relating to thermal projects. Firstly the then secretary DVC S. Biswas did not post an exclusive / dedicated chief engineer construction for Chandarpura unit no. 7 &8 and the additional work of construction were loaded on the existing chief engineer in-charge of the running / operational CTPS thermal project.

Secondly, DVC management totally neglected the manning / training of staff including engineering manpower for operation of units as per Indian Electricity Rules.

Meanwhile instead of putting the blame on BHEL that DVC has taken the extremely hasty and un-wise step of suspending three engineers causing deep resentment and disturbing the industrial peace at thermal plant .All the engineers claim that the mistake was on part of BHEL and the wrong instructions was issued by BHEL .The action of DVC to suspend three engineers has created a serious complication by which BHEL can claim that the entire damage was the fault of DVC whereas the fact is otherwise. Beyond doubt this administrative blunder has occurred due to the Chairman DVC.