Punjab Newsline
Furnace oil pipe busted in Ropar Thermal plant, Sutlej water likely to be contaminated
VINOD KUMAR GUPTA
Friday, 24 April 2009
ROPAR: A major tragedy was averted today at Ropar Thermal Plant after the furnace oil pipe supplying oil to Unit no. 3 busted . The furnace oil has started contaminating river Sutlej through Ghanuli drain.

According to sources approximately 150 tonnes of heavy furnace oil leaked today before 11 in the morning. Out of 150 tonnes of furnace oil this half the quantity has flown in to Ghanauli drain. This drain merges in Sutlej river and the oil has started contaminating the river water.

According to sources heavy duty furnace oil was flowing in pipes at temperature of 90 to 95 degree centigrade. A major tragedy was averted as the hot oil did not caught fire while falling down.

A senior official said that had the leakage from HFO pipe taken in night anything could have happened. A senior official said that they were able to save half the oil quantity from going down the Ghanauli drain. They are trying to minimize the risk of oil flowing in the river said an official. Furnace oil is used to light up the unit before coal firing and oil support is taken when the load is reduced below 160MW. Today unit no. 5 was closed due to boiler leakage.